Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 11.djvu/159

Rh doubtless foraging for themselves for their natural prey, and returning to their shelter behind my tent in the morning.

The adult great horned-owl has considerable vocal ability. At one time it will startle the hearer with a barking like that of a dog; at another time it will utter sounds much like half-suppressed screams, as if of one who is getting throttled; then it will break out into a loud, wild, demoniacal yell of "Waugh O! Waugh O!" startling the woods, and almost terrifying every living thing.

I was myself greatly interested in a pair of these young owls, taken from the nest early in March. Big, fluffy things they were, covered with thick, yellow down; and such eaters, nay, gormandizers is the word! It really seemed as if nothing came amiss to their appetites. The offal of chickens—heads, entrails, gizzards—all went down in quick order. One thing surprised me. As we could not at all times obtain animal food for them, my daughter thought of an experiment. She made balls, as large as hickory-nuts, of moistened meal, the outside being flavored with raw eggs. These they took down quite greedily, and, when very hungry, took the meal-balls without the flavoring. It was necessary to feed them with one's fingers. It was amusing to hear them snap their bills when annoyed or made afraid. The report thus made was pretty loud. They grew finely; but soon got killed, when off on a stray.

The little horned-owl is shown by Fig. 4. It is the Scops asio



(Bonap.), and is variously known as the American screech-owl, the red owl, and the mottled owl. It is but ten inches long, though that is even two inches longer than its European relative. It ranges through all the Atlantic States, even, up to Greenland. Nor is it driven away by the clearing off of the woods; and now more than ever it seeks to be a winter denizen of the city parks, attracted, doubtless, by the abundance of English sparrows, which afford it food. This little