216 NOTES ON THE 



of the dark forest out of my sight. He looked to me vaster in 

 all his proportions than all of my conceptions of Milton's 

 winged Apolyon, as he floated silently into the shadows of the 

 night. 



These are the most numerous of the eleven or twelve species 

 met with within our borders, and the largest of the assured 

 permanent residents. They more commonly build their nests 

 in the forks of the loftiest trees of the woodlands, far from 

 habitations. It is constructed of sticks first, over which are 

 laid twigs. These are sometimes massed in considerable quan 

 titles, and give the general dishing form to the structure. 

 Whithin it is lined with leaves, moss, and grasses, with occa- 

 sionally a few feathers from the owl's own body; but these may 

 be the mere accidental sheddings which have occurred while 

 occupying the nest. The eggs are white with a tinge of yel- 

 low, nearly spherical in form, and from three to four in number. 

 The period in which they enter upon their nesting varies 

 greatly with different pairs. I do not find much difference 

 from one year to another so far as the average time in which 

 they build is concerned, as they take no consideration of cold; 

 but I find the first nests begun earlier than in any other locality 

 in which I have ever observed them. My earliest personal 

 record is February 7th, and the latest April 7th, which I do not 

 think is as late as they sometimes build, judging from the young 

 owls occasionally offered by country boys in the market for 

 pets. Their value to the farmer is slowly gaining acknowledg- 

 ment amongst farmers in all sections of our wheat growing 

 commonwealth from their great destruction of field mice espec- 

 ially. 



The habits of the Great Horned Owls of working dire de- 

 struction amongst the domestic fowls that perch in exposed 

 places, has produced a most unreasonable prejudice against 

 the species by farmers, and hence he finds no mercy amongst 

 them, but it exposes a very reprehensible practice of leaving 

 their poultry to shift for themselves instead of providing 

 secure quarters for them in a house devoted to their welfare. 

 Even featherless bipeds have found that hens and chickens are 

 good eating, and it is not strange if the facilities of this species 

 for seizing and bearing them away so safely and securely 

 should have suggested the trial for themselves, and succeeding 

 so admirably, had perpetuated the practice. But the debit 

 column against this bird should not stand alone, for there is 

 another of credit, embracing rabbits, so destructive to young 



