FIXING CRICKDING Pl.ACES Fi^U OWT.S 



'I'lic followiii}; intei-f«(iug- aceouiU nl' lln" ihcUkkIs 

 employed by an fiithiisiastii' ooloj;i!^t is lakcii from a 

 letter written to me, OcIoIxm', ISSO, by Mr. O. H. Hark, 

 of Bethlehem: "Have ym ever heard of fixing holes 

 for S])arrow Hawks and Screech Owls? .Mr. John 

 Mack, the best climber I ever met, every sprins? cleans 

 (lilt old holes, enlariies such as are too small, etc.. and 

 finds it pays him well: lliis spring he got ninety Spar- 

 row Hawk eggs and every one was taken out of holes 

 fix(>d by him; at one time he put the leg- of an old 

 rubber boot in a hollow tree and several weeks later 

 look a batcli of Screech Owl's eggs out of it. .Vnother 

 singular .'\|ierience lie liad \\ith owls is, he made a 

 hole in a willow tree: when he came to look after it 

 again he fcund owls had taken possession of it and 

 had nearly filled it with field mice; he said there were 

 enough mice in it to fill his derby hat. This happened 

 just before a heavy snow storm and aliont ten days 

 later every mouse was gone." 



E.\TS BEETLES .4ND GRASSHOrPERS. 



Mr. L. M. Turner informs me that he has made a 

 number of examinations of Screech Owls captured in 

 Illinois. ,ind very generally found their food consisted 

 (I'f such insects as the larger beetles and grasshoppers, 

 also many mice. Grasshoppers and other orthopterous 

 insects ai'o devouied in large quantities by these birds. 



During ilie siimiiu>r months and at other times when 

 insect life is abundant Screech Owls subsist mainly 

 on an insect dier. These birds also prey on mice, 

 shi'ews. other small ipiadrupeds and small birds. 



Investigations have clearly demonstrated that few, if 

 • iny. (^f the owl tribe are more sorvicable to the farmer 

 ami fruit Lrrower than is the Screech Owl. subsisting, as 



