A Family of Barred Owls 



lOI 



t)egtin to hot) liis head up and down, ht'toniiii"^ at oiuc iiUcrcsled in his new 

 surroundings, while we drove rajHdly away. We have always hoped that he met 

 with a friendly Owl who gave him all the necessary lessons in woodcraft. 



The following spring, carK in April, I went to the same spot. Knocking, 

 from custom, on the trunk of a large, partially dead maple nearby, to see who 

 might he at home, at oiue a 

 Barred Owl ilew out from the 

 top. 



This tree was situated ideally 

 for its purpose, on the edge of a 

 dense swamp, surrounded by 

 a growth of small maples and 

 other hard wood. C'liml)ing to 

 the top, I found an extensive 

 hollow, at the bottom of which 

 were two newly hatched Owls 

 and one egg. The old Owl re- 

 turned during my investigation 

 and watched me with consider- 

 able interest. I went back the 

 following week and removed the 

 unhatched egg, which promptly 

 exploded in my pocket, proving 

 to my satisfaction that it would 

 not have hatched. After that we 

 visited the nest each week until 

 the young birds flew awa\-. 



The remnants of food found 

 in the nest consisted of many 

 feathers and one large sucker. 

 Among the feathers which could 

 be identified with certainty, there were, I am sorry to say, those of Robins and 

 Flickers. We could not lind the remains of any quadruped in the nest, and, 

 because of the water which partly surrounded the foot of the tree, there was no 

 other evidence preserved as to the nature of the Owls' food. 



On our visits to the nest, we always saw one old bird, and, occasionally, both. 

 They each kept a respectful distance from us and never made any effort to de- 

 fend their home. Because of a gang of Crows, who had one or two nests nearby, 

 the Owls were very chary of showing themselves. On two or three of our visits, 

 they were seen, and what a hazing they received from their black neighbors! 

 This certainly is one good reason that Owls have for keeping so shady in the 

 daytime. 



The third spring following our introduction, the Owls were back at the 



YOUXG BARRED OWL 

 Photographed by William Cogswell Clarke 



