570 
BIRD-LIFE. 
and wastes away if fed on flesh alone. The indigestible 
portions of the meal are thrown np in large round pellets 
or “ casts.” With larger animals it lays open the skin of 
the belly, and eats out the flesh from inside; if it finds 
that there is too much for one meal it carefully replaces 
the skin, and hides the remainder in some dark cranny or 
corner until required again. This Owl drinks rarely, 
slaking its thirst generally with the blood of its victims. 
If food is plentiful it gorges itself, but in times of dearth 
it can go without food for weeks together. 
By the last fortnight in March the Eagle Owls com¬ 
mence preparations for breeding; at this season may be 
heard their hollow, muffled cry of “poohoo, poohoo,” 
which is distinguishable at a great distance through the 
woods, and it is not to be wondered that the timid are 
frightened at it. In the silent, dark recesses of the 
mountain forest a variety of noises, well calculated to make 
one’s flesh creep, fall upon the ear: the shrill, mocking 
laugh; a sound as of snarling hounds ; the whoop of the 
hunter; the snorting of horses ; these are all calculated to 
impress the uneducated and superstitious with the truth 
of the legend of the wild huntsman. Even to the ear 
of the better informed these hideous cries, the loud 
screech of the female, or the “poohoo” of the male, inter¬ 
mingled with snapping of the beak, and curious miaulings, 
sound somewhat weird, and the boldest of mortals can 
scarcely repress a cold shudder when a company of these 
forest spirits favour him with one of their demoniacal 
nocturnal concerts. Doubtless these sounds represent the 
battle cries of the males when fighting for the female, 
and take the place of the song of the Nightingale when 
telling its tale of love. 
After the Owls have paired these cries are heard less 
