Four feet, wings, and fins . ung owls are so comical, mum, that Ivemade a glass case for thim for mesilf. I want mitherto hev em on the settin-room table, but she wont, You have mounted this owl beautifully, saidGrace. I shall put it a-top of the bookcase in myroom, and a thousand thanks to you, Pat. And then they looked at the little owls in theglass-case. Grace laughed heartily. But how is it, Pat, the owls are not all of a size ?I thought you said they came from the same nest. And they did, mum. Afther two or three ofher children are hatched, the old owl often lays somemore eggs, and they h
Four feet, wings, and fins . ung owls are so comical, mum, that Ivemade a glass case for thim for mesilf. I want mitherto hev em on the settin-room table, but she wont, You have mounted this owl beautifully, saidGrace. I shall put it a-top of the bookcase in myroom, and a thousand thanks to you, Pat. And then they looked at the little owls in theglass-case. Grace laughed heartily. But how is it, Pat, the owls are not all of a size ?I thought you said they came from the same nest. And they did, mum. Afther two or three ofher children are hatched, the old owl often lays somemore eggs, and they hatch out because the feathersof the young owls keeps them so warm, taxidermist tould me that, mum. I wish I had one of em little howls, said Rose. Sure, Rosie dear, and that would be a corrict 374 KENNY S CHICKENS. name for the hooting craythers, laughed Pat. Illgive you a prettier bird than these before ye gohome. What do they have such awful big eyes for ? asked May. So they can see better, of tourse, replied No, Rose, notwithstanding his immense eyes, theowl can see scarcely at all in the day time. He hasto creep away in the dark all day long, and thencome out at night after his rats and mice, for then isit he can see perfectly. You remember when we 375 KENNY S CHICKENS. were talking about cats I told you all animals havethe power of contracting or dilating the eyes tosome extent, just as their necessities require; but tono creature is this power so largely given as to theowl. In fact, the head of an owl is much like thatof a cat. There are about fifty species of owls. Inwinter they sleep the time away in holes of trees orin very old buildings. They belong to the orderRaptores which includes all the nocturnal birds ofprey, and to the SUngidcB family. Here is a chimney-swallow, mum, said Pat. I suppose you caught that when it fell down thechimney} said Grace. No, mum, for its not the big birds that fall often,and if they do they fly up right away ; its only the
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1879
