HAWK LURES. 



623 



HAWI\ LURES. 



By W. £. CRAM. 



IT is a pretty well known fact among Imnters and students of 

 Nature generally that most flesh-eating animals, whether in fur 

 or feathers, can be more readily called by imitating the squeaking 

 of mice than in any other way, and proves conclusively enough 

 that these creatures depend largely on the sense of hearing in their 

 struggle for a livelihood. 



My first practical illustration of this fact occurred so long ago 

 that it seems almost like ancient history. 



For some reason or other one summer's vacation began some 

 six hours earlier than was expected, and although apparently in- 

 significant enough when compared with the entire three months that 

 were to follow, that extra half holiday was probably valued out 

 of all due proportion by the pupils, owing to its unexpectedness, 

 and for that reason, perhaps, more than any other, is still recalled 

 by one at least as distinctly as ever. 



One of the boys had a contrivance known as a bird-call- — a sim- 

 ple instrument of wood and some soft metal — that, on being turned, 

 produced noises that bore not 



^^>':f'i"i>;^Mt, 



the slightest resemblance to 

 the cries of any bird, but were 

 not entirely unlike the squeak- 

 ing of a mouse in distress. 



Some of us were more or 

 less skeptical as to its powers 

 of attracting birds, and decided 

 to put it to the test. So we 

 loafed about under the apple 

 trees working the. thing for all 

 it was worth, but no birds came 

 about us, and the bird-call was 

 in danger of being thrown 

 away in disgrace, wdien a small 

 brown beast appeared from under a pile of boards and came run- 

 ning toward us, till suddenly scenting danger it disappeared. There 

 was some discussion at the time whether it was a rat, chipmunk, or 

 red squirrel; none had seen it very clearly or could give any very 

 definite description of it, but in all probability it was a w^easel at- 

 tracted by what it supposed to be the voice of its accustomed prey. 



About halfway between that time and the present a young 

 long-eared owl became an important member of our family, a most 



Mepiiistopiieles. 



