224 



THE OOLOGIST. 



at the woodshed and i-eceived his break- 

 fast, and continued to do so afterward. 



One evening as Jake sat in his tree, a 

 Screech Owl attacked him and had 

 quite a battle; Jake being at this time 

 about twice the size of a Screech Owl, 

 but still a mere baby. The battle was 

 decided a draw, and the Screech Owl 

 withdrew, but appeared the next even- 

 ing, and, after a desperate battle in air, 

 they fell crashing through the branches. 



All was then silent; my cousin called, 

 "Oh, Jake, where are you?" "Sqnee, 

 squee, squce" came out from the dark- 

 ness, and the Screech Owl, after screech- 

 ing around awhile, left in disgust. 



Jake now grew friendly, and took to 

 riding about on people's heads, and to 

 playing with the yellow dog, dragging 

 his wings on the ground and rushing at 

 him, while the dog enjoyed it as much 

 a,s Jake. 



Jake about this time began to drop 

 suddenly upon persons' heads, and find- 

 ing that young ladies and children 

 screamed at his approach, he became 

 quite troublesome, and delighted to ap- 

 pear at unexpected times and to fright- 

 en them as much as possible. He also 

 attacked a small chicken, and devoured 

 it, when unusually hungry. 



This was the early part of Jake's his- 

 tory. Now comes the mystery. One 

 day in September, Jake, after having 

 gone hungry for several days, turned 

 up missing. He was not heard of for 

 two weeks, and then he was heard hoot- 

 ing, by a farmer, who was well acquaint- 

 with him. The farmer called him and 

 he came a lit on a stump, and twisted 

 his head at him, and, after further call- 

 ing, flew up and knocked ol¥ the farm- 

 er's hat and then left. 



That was in September. 



One day in December, my cousin be- 

 ing in a neighboring village, heai'd an 

 old gentleman telling aljout an incident 

 which occurred on his farm, then occu- 

 pied by a tenant. 



Some time in October his chickens 



disappeared, one by one, until twenty 

 were killed. He (the tenant) was much 

 puzzled, and at a loss to account for 

 their disappear;iuce, till one day a large 

 owl appeared in the yard, and flew at a 

 little girl, and on the farmers attacking 

 it with a club, it tore a hole in his ear. 



The next day it appeai-ed again, and 

 was promptly shot by the angered far- 

 mer- 



We have no means of knowing to a 

 certainty that this was Jake, but think 

 from his actions and the direction of his 

 travels that it must have been him. Al- 

 though he possessed many faults, his 

 owners still remember him with kindly 

 sorrow, and desii'e to pass a tribute to 

 his memory, in this article, which, un- 

 fortunately, has been written in so pro- 

 lix a manner that it appears to be in a 

 condition similar to which Jake's stom- 

 ach was for daj's at a time, namely 

 there is but little in it. 

 Falco, 



Montgomer}', O. 



A Day in the Field. 



Saturday, June 11th, 1892, Avas one of 

 those days in the lattei'part of spring, 

 which are made beautiful by a deep 

 blue skj' overhead, green fields spangled 

 with butter cups and daises, and every 

 bush and tree tilled to overflowing with 

 sweet songsters, whose voices and flit- 

 ting forms are a never ceasing source of 

 delight to every lover of nature. 



"Old Sol" had risen long ago, before 

 we, after packing up a slight luncheon 

 and donning our old clothes, made a 

 "bee line" for the nearest woods. 



Our ears, while walking through the 

 charming bit of woodland, were contin- 

 ually saluted with the songs of Red- 

 starts, Black and White Warblers, Oven 

 birds, Grosbeaks, Scai'letTanagers, and 

 Wilson's Thrushes; while apparently 

 far ofl:" in the distance someone is heard 

 calling "Bob White, Bob White," and 

 immediately overhead, from the throat 



