THE OWL. 35 



One of these owls spent the winter once in the 

 Washington Ehii, and many people saw^ the little 

 tenant of this famous tree sitting at the edge of his 

 home and sending out his mournful '' who, hoo, hoo, 

 hoo" over the Cambridge Common. 



The larger owls live in the deep woods, and their 

 hooting is loud and often terrifying to those w^ho first 

 hear it. In the frozen north lives the Snowy Owl, 

 whose brownish feathers turn almost white in winter. 

 On the western plains lives a curious member of the 

 family, the Burrowing Ow4. His home is a burrow, 

 often the deserted home of some prairie dog. 



The owl has long been much abused and attacked 

 for its sinful manner of life. It is only lately that 

 people have discovered how much good most owls do. 

 Many owls have been shot and their stomachs opened, 

 but instead of small birds being the favorite food, the 

 greater part was found to consist of mice and insects, 

 both of which injure the farmer's crops. 



We are sorry that the owl occasionally kills a song 

 bird, but if he is really of such help to the farmer, 

 ought we not to protect him, and when we hear his 

 trembling voice in the still moonlight, think of him 

 not so much as a midnight robber as a sort of police- 

 man guarding the farms, gardens, and fields ? 



