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much as possible to shade their wonderful eyes from the too-powerful rays; but 

 see these birds at dusk and after— what a transformation takes place ! They are 

 then as alert as any hawk; their soft plumage enables them to skim noiselessly 

 around our farin buildings and over the fields in search of food. Unlucky then b. 

 the mouse or rat that ventures to show itself, or even utter a squeak from its hiding 

 place in the grass, (for owl's ears are as wonderfully constructed as their eyes, and 

 their hearing is as acute as their sight). The fate of that mouse will be sealed, 

 and it will vex the farmer no more. 



Some of the owls however are day feeders — the Snowy Owl and the Hawk Owl 

 I think entirely so — while the Great Horned Owl seems to be almost as active on 

 dull days as at night; and whether the day be bright or dull these birds can always 

 see well enough to take care of themselves and keep out of the range of a gun. In 

 the cultivated portions of the Province of Ontario we have five species of owls that 

 may be treated here as residents. They are not strictly so, as there is a certain 

 migratory movement amongst them, caused probably hy the failure or abundance 

 of their food supply, which may cause them to either leave certain districts for a 

 time or gather there in larger numbers than usual. Many instances are on record 

 of plagues of mice having been stayed and the trouble removed by the arrival on 

 the infested spot of large numbers of owls ; these birds rapidly killed off the mice 

 and then scattered again. Our resident species are the Great-Horned Owl, Long- 

 eared Owl, Short-eared Owl, Barred Owl and Screech Owl. 



The Great Homed Owl, or " Cat Owl," as it is often called, is the only one I 

 have ever known to attack poultry, and it can work havoc amongst them if they are 

 left out to roost in unprotected places. The destruction of this owl is certainly 

 justifiable and necessary where it has taken up its quarters in a locality in which 

 poultry is kept. It also captures great quantities of our favorite game birds, more 

 particularly Ruffed Grouse, many a brood of which goes to satisfy the hunger of 

 the Horned Owl's family, and are so lost to the sportsman. But as against the 

 charge of poultry and game killing which has been proven against it, this owl has 

 some redeeming qualities. It kills great numbers of rats, mice, squirrels and other 

 rodents that are injurious to farmers, and strange to say it seems to be a determined 

 enemy to the slaink. Numbers of cases have been cited in which the flesh and hair 

 of this animal have been found in the stomachs of these owls, more particularly 

 in the spring, and I know that fully one-half of the bodies of these birds that I 

 liave handled Avere well perfumou with the odor of skunk — in many cases so much 

 so, that I have had to throw away fine specimens, the smell being quite unbearable. 

 Possibly these birds are four! of strong o'lor, for those whose feathers are not 

 scented with skunk perfumery have generally a strong odor of muskrat, the flesh 

 of which they also appreciate. T have frtquently known them to hunt and kill 

 these rats in the spring, during the day time when they were about the banks of 

 the creeks, driven there by the high water of our usual sprino- fres'iet. These owls 

 are very powerful birds, usually killing for themselves all the food they eat, and 

 only resorting to carrion in the direst extremity of hunger. Turkeys and Guinea 

 fowls, from their habit of roosting in trees, frequently fall victims to the strength 

 and rapacity of these creatures. In such cases only the head and neck of fhe slain 

 Avill be eaten, the bodies being left for animals of less power or meaner ambition to 

 finish. 



The Long-eared Oivl is a much smaller bird than the last (being about fifteen 

 inches in length), and contents itself with much humbler fare than its big cousin. 

 It is fairly common through the cultivated districts, particularly in the autumn. 



