AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 173 



country on the globe. Wherever found, his habits appear to be the same 

 and he shows preference for marshy regions, thereby earning his local 

 name of "Marsh Owl." They are somewhat of a migratory nature and 

 travel in small flocks.. 



On cloudy days you will sometimes see them skimming over the marsh; 

 slowly flapping their long wings, they swiftly and noiselessly glide over 

 the grass looking for trouble. The trouble in this case comes to the objects 

 of their search, which are field mice and shrews. These small creatures 

 are not given long to prepare for the next world, as their winged destroyer 

 silently pounces upon them and hardly an instant elapses ere they are 

 securely resting in his internal regions. Rarely does this gentle bird prey 

 upon any of the smaller feathered bipeds, and if perchance you learn that 

 one of them has been guilty of such transgression, do not at once rush for 

 a gun with which to slay the offender; better to pay tribute to his skill and 

 perserverance which have enabled him to rid the marshes of the obnoxi- 

 ous mice, and thus forced him to this diet. 



Melanerpes ErythrocephaKis (406)o 



vs. 

 Passer Domesticus (E. S.) 



'Twas one bright May morning when I was on my way to my daily 

 work, I noticed that considerable disturbance was taking place about half 

 way up a maple tree. The tree had previously been cut near the top to 

 make it spread. As is always the case, the branch stumps had decayed, 

 and a pair of red-headed woodpeckers had decided to locate in one of the 

 stumps. Making a suitable hollow, their home was completed. 



The ever-present English sparrows, spying the opening in the stump 

 evidently resolved to locate there also. Upon their examination of the 

 premises the woodpeckers resented and manifested that the sparrows' 

 presence was not desired. A few flutters and squeals and the sparrows 

 were victorious. In a short time they began to have everything in readi- 

 ness for an abode. 



Three days later, upon passmg the same place, the same noise was 

 heard overhead, and I stopped to watch. Evidently the same woodpeck- 

 ers had returned and resumed the battle, which was more furious than 

 the previous one. Twenty minutes passed and still the battle raged, 

 but in a few more moments, one sparrow dropped to the ground helpless, 

 and the remainder gave way to the more formidable foe. The woodpeck- 

 ers seemed to be joyous over their victory, although nearly exhausted. 



The woodpeckers hold control of their home to this day and are now 

 rearing a family of four, seemingly as happy as ever. 



.1. B.. Illinois. 



