56 



STORIES OF BIRD LIFE 



yards from the woods he planted a pole twelve feet high, 

 on which he set and chained a small steel trap. 



A night or two later while out looking for meadow mice 

 the mother owl alighted on the pole. With a snap the steel 

 jaws came together, catching and holding her fast in their 

 grasp. She was caught by her three front toes, for an owl 

 has two toes growing in front, one growing out behind, and 

 one which can be turned either way. The trap with its vic- 

 tim fell from the pole, but the chain which was fastened 



within a foot of the top 

 held securely. There 

 through the night she 

 hung head downward, 

 swaying in the wind and 

 beating her wings against 

 the pole in her vain efforts to escape. All night with dizzy, 

 throbbing brain she swung and beat the air and fought for 

 freedom. In the morning the happy farmer came and put 

 an end to her suffering. He reset the trap and returned 

 joyfully to the house with the dead bird. 



The caring for the young now devolved entirely upon 

 the father. Three hungry mouths to fill besides his own ! 

 What a busy time he had of it ! How diligently he must 

 have pursued the meadow mice and frogs ! But he care- 

 fully avoided that fatal pole. One night he decided to try 



