New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-15
owls Az HOUSEHOLD PETS.


The so,,.s, dowries, hall II feathers that can -
found in all the nests OF the woods is a young OWL
Such a little bird came to our cottage IN the ioiese
this summer as n household pet lie was cane"
Bobby, and acquaintance win MIN hrs' "ee""
to disabuse our minds Of all the old pre)udices w
had entertained against owls in general as ioons"'
s,olid birds
Bobby soon showed himself to he much more I'M
a kitten in his ways than bird. lie was espe-
ciay fond Of playing with bail OF worsted or
ANYTHING else he could roll about. and enjoyed oe-
ing cuddled and petted. kitten does. Ills sott
downv pIun:age Of silver-gray more like fur
than feathers and his great yellow eyes were cat
like in their alertness Of expression.
In tho matter of bathing he was a bird. and ono
sirgularly fond Of water. on sultry days Bobby
took two. and sometimes three baths daily ON
such occasions he drenched his feathers until ne
presented a most bedraCgled and absurdly limp
and plucked appearance. He did not turn night
into day. his family supposed 10 do ne
dosed his perch at intervals during the day'
much as a cat doses in her corner Of the fireplace
In the afternoon and early morning he was play.
full jumping about after objects Of his fancy and
demurelv CARRYING his prize or with claws or
beak He often used one ~ his claws 10 pick up his
food or anything he chose to carry away. mucn as
n parrot does With his hoax and one claw bs
could accomplish considerable mischief
one day found him holding down the INK Dot
beak That particular blackened ink cork seemed
10 have special attractions for him. He was found
on several ccasions hugging II closely 70 MS
breast with claw. while he hoped on the other
across the room or few 10 his heap or treasures
These consisted Of various objects ne nad
secured. apparently for his amusement and placed
on closet shelf which he frequented. Whatever
object he could carry he liable "a seize and ny
or hop away with. cannot conceive what use
he could have for silk hosiery yet have seen him
deliberately fly away with a stocking
on one occasion he caused the gravest apprehen-
sion for his health by swallowing square OK
cloth. II did nj first seem TO cause him
any more uneasiness than the little piece OF
chopped meat which fed him. but after a few
hours he showed signs Of being sick. He opened
his beak repeatedly. looked dangerously out OF his
great ewes and finally few down 10 one OF the
children and rubbed his head pathetcally against
her hand
We knew something Of the digestive processes OF
owls and their power swallow small animals or
their teatIer. FUR and bones 30 no one was
alarmed especially. In few hours the cloth
Sa Inadvsrtentiy swaiowcd it, This and several
other absurd attempts 70 digest utterly ndigestibe
odor or taste and selected his food by sight
His sight marvellous. He seemed to see nh
be visible TO the human eye re easy rfros sg
his friends from strangers, and ne readily dstin-
cradle distance down the street
bird. but the sight Of Il stranger would always
him assume protective attitude. Ills
ear tufts were erected and on such occasions no
fattened his feathers closely 70 his body and drew
himself UP 70 an extreme height. Then he shut
his round eyes until they we're mere SILT set at
an acute angle in his head and he gave his queer,
ds'Onted- looking body a final twist one could
easily imagine that an old gray tree stump
Bobby in this transformed shape would be pro-
tected by his resemblance 10 the landscape but IN
a library window. where he chose 10 locate him
self ne presented a singular aspect. This aspect
We accustomed 10 term "Bobbys demoniacai
transformation.
He had another transformation. an attitude or
surprise and inspection. When his attention was
thus fixed he drew his fuzzy body high up on his
feathered legs and fairly strutted back. drawing
back his head and waving Il from aide 10 side.
sofrest bird that could be imagined
We had hoped before his characteristic pumage
appeared that he Nigh, be a young barred OWL
or al least Acadian, but he soon developed the
marks OF a plain screechowl OF the gray type He
never screeched. however during the four months
we knew him though sometimes he gave forth
hoarse utterances when left alone, which We feared
might later become a screech.
He had several other notes one a sort one wnen
he was pleased and a cross. scolding one. which he
uttered when handled and taken anywhere against
his will
on one occasion college colors were tied on one
claw He evidently objected, but he did not try TO
tear on the knotted ribbon. / found him afterwero
inspecting Il In a critical manner. and ne nnaAy
unknotted It with his claw and beak.