1903] Nature Study — No. 4. qg 



The Meadow Lark occasionally winters in the province 

 (thoug^h, for what reason, it is hard to imagine), and from an 

 examination of the stomach contents of several specimens taken in 

 the winter, it has been found that, even under stress of weather, 

 they had not resorted to vegetable diet, but had succeeded in 

 unearthing various grubs and beetles. The Meadow Lark is thus 

 in everyway a decidedly beneficial bird in the agricultural districts 

 where it makes its summer home ; yet, in spite of this and of the 

 beauty of its plumage and of its clear ringing whistle, it not only 

 receives no protection at the hands of the farmer whom it befriends, 

 but, in many cases, either the birds themselves or their eggs or 

 young are wantonly destroyed. A very slight knowledge of the 

 habits of the birds would do a great deal towards preventing their 

 destruction. 



In connection with the recognition of the economic value of 

 birds, a little study will do a great deal towards clearing up many 

 false ideas concerning hawks and owls, which are usually subject 

 to the most relentless persecution. A little study will show that 

 while some hawks, like the Goshawk and Sharp-shinned Hawk, 

 and some owls, like the Great Horned Owl and the Snowy Owl, are 

 injurious ; nevertheless, the great majority of them are, not only 

 not injurious, but even decidedly beneficial. A careful observation 

 of the habits of the living bird by competent observers and an 

 examination of the contents of thousands of stomachs afford the 

 only satisfactory test of its economic value. In the case of hawks 

 and owls, these methods have been carefully applied and go to 

 show that most of them are of great ecomomic value. 



The value of these birds lies in the destruction by them of 

 very large numbers of mice, rats, squirrels, gophers, and other 

 destructive vermin. A good illustration of the value ot such an 

 owl as the Long-eared Owl, is afforded by an examination of the 

 pellets which collect beneath the roosting places. As nearly every 

 one knows, an owl swallows its prey whole, and the indigestible 

 portions, such as fur and bones, become matted into pellets and are 

 disgorged through the mouth. In the case of a roost occupied by 

 a Long-eared Owl for some weeks during November and Decem- 

 ber, 1902, about one hundred and fifty pellets were found. These 

 pellets were about the size of a small mouse and contained on the 



