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THE GUIDE TO NATURE 



An Unexpected Visitor. 



When I came downstairs at about 

 six o'clock in the morning on Septem- 

 ber 16, I was astonished to see a 

 screech owl sitting on a radiator in the 



er, so we opened the door and he flew 

 silently out, being lost to view in some 

 near-by woods. 



We think the owl must have come 

 down a chimney into a fireplace, as 



THE OWL ON THE RADIATOR. 



front hall. My first thought was that 

 someone had put a stuffed bird there 

 as a joke, but I realized at once that 

 he was alive, because he turned his 

 head when I moved to one side. 1 

 called to my wife, and she came down 

 to see our visitor, who did not seem to 

 be at all disturbed at our presence. 1 

 then got out my camera and took some 

 pictures., one of which is reproduced 

 herewith. Nearly an hour later i went 

 to the house of a neighbor, and got him 

 to come over with his camera. The 

 owl had remained in the same place all 

 this time, and I found that I could get 

 close to the radiator without disturbing 

 him. But finally, when I stood with my 

 hand on the radiator, within a few 

 inches of the owl, he became alarmed 

 and flew into an adjoining room. He 

 struck against a mirror and dropped 

 onto a table, where he sat on a pile 

 of books, looking very wise indeed. He 

 did not remain long, however, but flew 

 to my camera which was standing 

 near-by. After my friend had taken 

 his picture in this position we decided 

 not to keep him in the house any long- 



there was apparently no other way in 

 which he could have gotten in. — H. S. 

 Shaw, |r., Hover, Massachusetts, in 

 "Bird-Lore." 



Downy Woodpecker and Goldenrod 

 Galls. 



Schenectady, N. Y. 

 To the Editor : 



Last autumn I noticed a downy wood- 

 pecker working on some goldenrod 

 galls. I examined one gall after he 

 had left it, but found the larva undis- 

 turbed. From your observations have 

 you found that these birds ever destroy 

 the larva in these galls? A reply 

 through The Guide to Nature will be 

 appreciated. 



B. D. Miller. 

 Personally I have never seen a wood- 

 pecker working on these galls. Can 

 any reader furnish the desired informa- 

 tion?— H. G. H. 



Roseate clouds and a waning moon, 

 A flight of birds in the sky, 



Are heralds to proclaim to us 

 The new day from on high. 



— Emma Peirce. 



