30 OUR WINTER BIRDS. 



an incipient Nimrod in the i^hape of a boy armed Avith a pitch- 

 fork . 



It is quite common. JU^ food consists of young poultry and 

 wild birds, and among these of course some of our most useful 

 ones, but, to his credit be it said, he is particularly fond of that 

 nuisance, the English sparrow, and it is to him particularly that 

 we must look to rid us of the pest, and so in the mean time it 

 would be wise to refrain from killing him till that work is ac- 

 complished. He destroys also quite a number of insects of vari- 

 ous kinds, but he will come right into town to enquire if any one 

 has seen an}^ sparrows about. 



Of the Strigida? we have during the winter the snowy owl 

 (Nyctea nivea), the great horned owl (Bubo Virginianus), the 

 barred owl (syrnium nebulosum), the hawk owl {Sarnia Hudsonii), 

 the screech owl (Scops Asio), the short eared owl (Brachyotus pal- 

 ustris), and the saw whet owl (Nyctate Acadica). These,of course, 

 being birds of prey, live upon whatever animals they can find 

 and overcome — partridges, other small birds, rabbits, mice, etc. 



The snowy owl is only an occasional visitor, but is not very 

 infrequently shot down about the mouth of the river and at Bay 

 du Vin. It seems to be driven down this way only by lack of 

 food, and will take grouse, hares, mice and even offal sometimes 

 when hard pressed. I believe its flesh is eaten by the Esqui- 

 maux. The great horned owl is comparatively common. It is 

 a great enemy to poultry, and feeds on ducks, grouse, hares, 

 mice, hawks, crows and other owls. It is strong and rapacious, 

 and will make no mean adversary to man himself. 



The barred owl is also common but is duller and slower in its 

 motions, and is not so bold and rapacious. He is not quite so 

 aspiring in his choice, but otherwise his food is about the same. 



The hawk owl is fairly common, and its food is grouse, 

 hares, mice, grasshoppers and other insects. It is diurnal in its 

 habits, and breeds, I believe, further north. 



The screech owl is not very common here, but is to be found. 

 It is nocturnal in its habits, and its food consists of birds, rep- 

 tiles, batrachians, fish, Crustacea and insects. 



The short eared owl is fairly common, and is both diurnal and 

 nocturnal in its habits. Its food consists of birds, mice and insects. 



The saw whet is common. Its habits are nocturnal, and its 



