134 HOMING WITH THE BIRDS 



the lowest to the highest twig used in building 

 it. 



There have been a few times in field work, 

 while I was on the editorial staff of Outing doing 

 some magazine work or particularly pressed for 

 some special picture needed to complete the work 

 of illustrating an article or book, when I have had 

 such rare luck in securing a subject that I almost 

 felt encouraged to believe that the Lord was with 

 me, and putting it into the hearts of the wild 

 creatures to come at my call and give me exactly 

 the pose wanted. Very distinctly in my memory 

 there stands out one day when I especially desired 

 the picture of an owl. I was not particular what 

 kind or what size, for a screech owl can look quite 

 as dignified and wise as its great horned cousin 

 of the big woods. I had been writing an article on 

 what the birds know, and I wanted an owl head 

 for a first paragraph inset as this bird is always 

 used when a bird picture is wanted to illustrate 

 wisdom — not that the owl is by any means the 

 wisest bird of the woods for it happens to be one 

 of the most stupid, but like a great many people, 

 if it will consent to keep its mouth shut and content 

 itself with merely looking wise it serves the pur- 

 pose admirably. 



The time was in early December. All day I cud- 

 gelled my brain to think where or how I could 

 secure a study of an owl to complete my article. 

 About nine o'clock that night, passing through the 



