292 GEE AT HORNED OWL 



est species of rapacious bird throughout the ex- 

 tensive- swamps covered by cypress and other 

 growths which abound in the coast region of the 

 south, where as many as fifteen or twenty may be 

 seen in a day's tramp. Although not usually seen 

 near habitations, it sometimes wanders into large 

 towns, either in search of food or the shelter 

 afforded b^^ some attractive clumjD of evergreens." 



Great Horned Owl : Bubo virginianus. 



(Plate XXV.) 



Geographic Distribution. — Eastern North America, north- 

 ward to Labrador and southward to Costa Rica ; resident 

 throughout its range. 



Where wild game is scarce and poultry plenty, 

 the Great Horned Owl ranks with the three brig- 

 and Hawks, and should be studied closely, that 

 its sins may not be laid at the door of the deserv- 

 ing members of the family. But where wild 

 game is plenty the Owl's record is better, for it 

 turns its attention to rabbits and other ' small 

 dere ' that make sad havoc with the crops. 



So each case should be judged on its own mer- 

 its. As Doctor Fisher says, . . . "a bird so pow- 

 erful and voracious may at times be a source of 

 great benefit, while at other times it may be the 

 cause of great damage. Now, the serious inroads 

 it makes on the tenants of the poultry-yard, as well 

 as the destruction of many game and song birds, 

 would seem to call for the total sujjpression of 



