BIRDS OF PREY. 183 



the pipe was taken down, very deliberately emerged 

 a most solemn-looking owl that had had enough of 

 man's contrivance, so very much, indeed, that it laid 

 down and died. 



The Great Horned or Eagle-owl is found over all 

 of Eastern North America. It is a splendid, stately 

 bird, and when seen perched upon a tall tree, backed 

 by a glowing sunset, is a picture to be remembered. 

 It is essentially a bird of the woods, or at least of 

 remote localities with some heavy growths of timber, 

 and there it proclaims its presence by a loud hod-hod- 

 hod-hod-hod. 



In New Jersey it is principally seen as a winter 

 visitor in the settled portions of the State, but holds 

 its own in the backwoods. 



They feed upon small mammals generally, and in 

 winter, when pressed for food, attack the poultry. A 

 word in their favor is that they attack and devour 

 skunks. Strange taste ! 



The Snowy Owl should be seen alive, and in an 

 evergreen forest, to be fully appreciated. It is then 

 truly a superb bird. This owl is an arctic species, 

 and yet does not require a particularly cold winter 

 to induce it to come very far south of its proper 

 habitat. When they do come in the late autumn 

 southward, they generally follow the sea-coast and 

 do not spread over the back country, but of course 

 there are exceptions, and it was such a case that I 

 witnessed, the birds being on the Delaware River 

 shore, seventy miles from the sea. They are found 

 less frequently in the interior States in winter. In 

 New England their appearance is regular. 



