Tawny Owl 
in Captivity. 
(35) THE BIRD WORLD. 
Tawrvy Owl irv Captivity. 
By D. STEWARD. 
Considering how well Owls thrive in 
confinement, and the small amount of 
trouble and expense they entail, it is 
surprising how really few people one 
comes across who go in for these exceed¬ 
ingly interesting birds, or, indeed, know 
anything about them. 
I know of no more lovable or enter¬ 
taining fellow than the Tawny, or Wood 
Owl ( Syrnium bluco), provided that he 
is brought up from infancy by hand; 
otherwise, if one gets a half or full 
grown specimen, it is apt to make a 
freer use of its strong beak and equally 
strong talons than is quite pleasant, and 
its temper is not likely to prove so sweet 
and pliable as an early-adopted child 
from the woods. 
The Fruits of Kindness. 
In other words, it will probably re¬ 
main untameable, and I know of no 
more discouraging, not to say irritating, 
sight than that of a bird or animal that 
stubbornly resists all one’s overtures of 
kindness and friendliness. I could 
never succeed in taming a full-grown 
Tawny that was bought to keep another 
young one company. It perpetually 
snapped its beak whenever anyone ap¬ 
proached it, and on attempting to handle 
it, it would sit up on its tail—after the 
manner of a hawk—and woe betide any 
finger that came within reach of its 
beak. I have spent hours in trying to 
coax the stupid bird into something 
resembling good feeling, but without the 
slightest success—it was too suspicious 
for anything. 
A Fluffy Ball of Down. 
Now the young one, which was sent to 
us as a fluffy ball of down, was as 
different as possible; as sweet and 
innocent as the other was sour and 
suspicious, and as fond of me as it is 
possible for any bird to be of its owner. 
I could do whatsoever I liked with him, 
stroke him, ruffle up his featheis the 
wrong way, play with him, tease him, 
and handle him with impunity—not that 
I often did this, for the less handling a 
bird has the better—and as for getting 
angry, why, he simply did not know how. 
Pie was always on his best behaviour 
with all the members of the family, but 
he had no fancy at all for the gardener 
—I never fathomed the reason for this— 
nor did he like visitors, especially when 
they went and gazed curiously at him 
through the wire door. He would open 
his big eyes very wide indeed on such 
occasions, and in the semi-twilight of 
the aviary, from a perch at the far end, 
he would return the stare; in fact, he 
was an adept in this art, and would out- 
stare anyone, craning and twisting his 
head into the most fantastic positions— 
in which occupation the sour one joined 
—in order to get a clearer view of who 
the strangers were and what they were 
doing. 
A Very FLearty Contempt. 
I think he must have entertained a 
very hearty contempt for those— ladies 
generally—who sometimes remarked : 
“ Really, what queer birds they are. I 
don’t care for Owls, you know—so un¬ 
canny, aren’t they ? ” In a state of 
nature the Tawny Owl is said to be of 
rather a vicious disposition, because 
during the breeding season it will boldly 
attack and inflict severe blows on the 
heads of unsuspecting individuals who 
venture too near its nest. However this 
may be, the Tawny Owl hardly deserves 
to be described as belonging to a vicious 
species, because I take it that this bird, 
at other times, is peaceful enough if un¬ 
molested. Moreover, it is but following 
the natural instinct which prompts both 
