552 



Missouri Agricultural Report. 



for the greater part, of mice and insects. I have never caught them 

 in any mischief. The owls catch their prey at night when the 

 poultry is on the roost and when rabbits, mice and insects are 

 active. If the poultry is properly housed, there is no excuse for 



anyone to complain 

 of trouble from even 

 the big horned owl, 

 the only one against 

 which any complaint 

 can properly be 

 lodged. All the other 

 species should be 

 protected. The 

 screech owl is a sur- 

 prisingly good mous- 

 er, and I had rather 

 have a pair of them 

 in my barn than 

 half a dozen cats. 



With very few 

 exceptions the birds 

 of prey are friends 

 of the farmer and 

 should be protected. Boys should early learn to distinguish the 

 Sharpshin and Cooper hawks, the two species which are re- 

 sponsible for most of the prejudices against the whole family of 

 hawks and owls, from the other species which are beneficial. Much 

 educational work is needed along this line. 



The Screech Owl. 



THE SONG BIRD. 



We come now to a class of birds better known and, with few 

 exceptions, loved and protected by the fruit grower. The writer 

 has a wide acquaintance among fruit growers of several states, and 

 does not now recall a wide-awake, well-informed individual among 

 them who is not a friend of the birds. The man is shortsighted, 

 indeed, who will permit the destruction of such birds as robins, 

 catbirds, thrushes, etc., because they take a few cherries or berries. 

 Such a man must forget that he has to pay the hired man besides 

 boarding him. There is no longer any question but that all three 

 of the birds named above are of far more value than injury, and 

 every possible means should be used to encourage them to nest 



