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OXALIS

1404

OXFORD

brownish-yellow, and it is of peculiar shape with legs long as compared to owls generally. It is less fluffy, its eyes are small and black, the face is outlined by a dark ring. It seeks shelter under roofs made by man, and is not infrequently found in a church-belfry. This owl is very widely distributed.

There are about 18 species of owls in North America; varying in size from the six-inch elf owl of Arizona to the great gray owl of the Arctic — over two feet in length. The latter bird, while always rare in the United States, is occasionally seen as far south as the Ohio River. There are four of the so-called horned owls: the long-eared, short-eared, great-horned and the screech-owl. The great-horned is a large, fierce member of the family, and does much to give the family as a whole a bad. name. It steals all kinds of poultry, turkey included, and preys on game-birds and other birds. But mention should be made of the fact that it devours also mice, rats, gophers and numerous other destructive mammals. In appearance it is quite splendid—of noble size; the abundant plumage a combination of brown, black, yellow and white, fine black bars across the breast; a distinguishing mark the large "horns." It belongs to wilder, heavily-wooded portions of the country, and in some localities is known as the hoot-owl. Perhaps the commonest in this country is the screech-owl, which nests about houses and is very widely distributed. It is quiet during the nesting season, but after the young are reared^ in July and August, its voice may be heard at night — not a screech, but a tremulous, quavering sound of mournful quality. This is a small, round-bodied owl, not much longer than broad; it is sometimes black and white, grayish in appearance ; sometimes reddish and white. It has noticeable horns. It eats sparrows and other birds, but destroys large numbers of mice, grasshoppers, locusts, cut-worms, beetles, caterpillars, crickets, lizards, frogs and crawfish. Hornaday recommends that the bird's numbers be limited, but that the bird be not exterminated. The long-eared in coloring resembles the great-horned, but is much smaller, and its very conspicuous ear-tufts stand on top of its head. This bird is very widely distributed in the United States, a very useful bird and should be protected. The short-eared also is deserving of protection, is the same size as the preceding, in color brownish-yellow above and buf^ below. Probably the most common owl in this country next to the screech-owl is the barred owl, the one that calls from deep wood the ghostly "whoo-whoo-whoo?" With its fellows it will sometimes unite in concert of hoots, an occasional shriek intermingled, ending with laughter full as eerie as the rest of the performance. It is a large, heavily-built owl, its plumage light-colored barred with black. Although it devours the de-

structive small mammals, it is also destructive to poultry, game-birds and other birds. The snowy owl, a beautiful bird either pure white or barred with black, nests in the north and visits the United States in winter. It is a day owl. It feeds on fish, birds, small mammals etc. The burrowing owl is a small western owl living in the holes of prairie dogs. It is a savage little creature, a great fighter, these owls frequently killing each other. They feed largely on grasshoppers, locusts, and other insects. Their color is mixed gray, their legs long and bare. See Hornaday: American Natural History.

Ox'alls, a genus of shrubs and herbs, abounds in South America, North America and South Africa. The leaves usually are compound, generally digitate in shape, and grow alternately, although simple leaves are occasionally found. The seeds of the Oocahs genus are similar to capsules, and have a hard elastic covering, which bursts in such a way as to project the seed to a distance. The oxalis shrubs are frequently grown for ornament in gardens, ai\d especially as borders. Many of them have bulbous roots, and some are edible, such as the South American oca. There are said to be more than 200 species of oxalis.

Ox'ford, a city of England and the seat of the University of Oxford, is near the union of the Cherwell and the Thames, 52 miles from London. The two rivers form a rectangle, on which the old part of the city stands. In the center of the town, called Carfax (meaning four-forked), the four main streets cross each other, running north and south, east and west. Besides the university buildings, there are St. Michael's church, with its tower? built in 1070; the Clarendon building, used for the Clarendon press until 1830; the Indian Institute, with a library and museum for the use of members of the India service or natives of India; Godstow, a ruined nunnery; All Saints', St. Barnabas, St. Aloysius and St. Aldgate's churches; Somerville Hall and Lady Margaret Hall, colleges for women; Wycliffe Hall, a theological school; Mansfield College, a Congregational divinity-school; and the town hall and public library. A cross, known as the Martyrs7 Memorial, was erected in 1841 in honor of the Oxford martyrs: Ridley, Lati-mer and Cranmer. The Port Meadow is an open common, and the university parks are kept in order by the university. Oxford is mentioned in the Saxon Chronicle as far back as 912 A. D. The towey, now St. Michael's church, was built by the Norman conquerors and commanded the approach to the northern gate of the city, which was removed in 1771. Empress Maud (Matilda) took refuge in Oxford when driven from London by Stephen of Blois (1142). In 1258 the reform known as the Provisions of Oxford, was the work of the "mad parliament" sitting at Oxford. In the Civil War it for a few years