AN OLD BARRED OWL 



57 



the poultry yard again. Surely all the destruction of mice 

 and rabbits which he had wrought must be worth another 

 fowl ! 



Near the chicken house some guineas were roosting in a 

 tree. Silently he swooped down upon one of these. A 

 moment later both were upon the ground, but before the 

 guinea had expired it had given vent to several heartrend- 

 ing screams, which had set the whole roost to cackling. 

 The owl was on the point of rising with his prey when he 

 caught sight of a man 

 near the garden gate. 

 There was a flash and 

 the roar of a gun. At 

 this he fled, badly fright- 

 ened, to the woods. 



An hour later, when all 

 was quiet, he returned to 



the spot where he had dropped his burden. For some reason 

 it was under a strong box, which was propped up by some 

 sticks. But the babies in the woods were hungry ; so under 

 the box he cautiously went. The guinea seemed tied to a 

 stick. He gave it a pull, when suddenly down came the 

 box, and he was a prisoner. 



Great was the rejoicing in the neighborhood the next 

 morning when it became known that ^ ' the old swamp owl ' ' 





