B-RDS OF 



I have listened attentively to the cry of this and other Owls, but 

 have not noticed anything so terrif}ing about them. A short 

 time ago I heard the serenade of the Great Horned Ovl, down 

 near Stoney Creek, under the mountain. It was loud and harsh, 

 and struck me at the time as resembling the neighing of a colt. 

 Such sounds, when heard unexpectedly at night in a lonely 

 place, are not calculated to inspire courage in a breast already 

 depressed with superstituous fear; but the effect produced must 

 to a great extent depend on the train of thought passing through 

 the mind of the hearer at the time, for though many a stalwart 

 Scot has quailed at the cry of the " hoolet," it is a matter of 

 history that the sons of that romantic land, when roused to 

 enthusiasm by similar sounds extorted from the national instru- 

 ment, have performed deeds of personal valor v.hich will live in 

 song and story so long as poets and historians seek such themes. 



In our country we have no birds of evil omen, and the Owl 

 is given his proper place in science and literature. Longfellow 

 speaks of him as " a grave bird ; a monk who chants midnight 

 mass in the great temple of nature." The object of his visits to 

 the farm house is well understood, and if they are followed by 

 disaster i. i.) usually to the poultry or to the bird himself, if the 

 farmer's boys can so direct it. 



Towards the little Screech Owl the feeling is quite differ- 

 ent. When the weather gets severe he frequently takes up his 

 quarters inside the barn, and remains there undisturbed till the 

 weather softens in the spring, when he again betakes himself to 

 the woods. During the day he sits on the cross-beams, glower- 

 ing at the people as they come and go, but at night he is most 

 active in the pursuit of mice, which at that season form his 

 favorite fare. 



There is no doubt that before the country was settled, the 

 sheltered waters of Burlington Bay were a favorite resting place 

 for the vast crowds of waterfowl which annually pass to and 

 from their brecdingplacesinthenorth, but nowthat they are sur- 

 rounded by railroads, and constantly dotted with steam or sail- 

 ing craft moving around for trade or pleasure, these visits are 

 fewer and of shorter duration than in former 3ears. Gulls, 

 Grebes, Loons and Ducks in large flocks are still observed in 



