SILENT WING THE GREAT HORNED OWL 149 



some great tree. As careful examination did not reveal 

 such a nest, the boy turned his attention to the poor blinded 

 owl that sat blinking on the limb. Stealthily he moved, 

 in the hope that he might get near enough to catch the 

 bird before it saw him. Just as he thought her within 

 his reach, she became aware of his presence and flew 

 directly across the river. 



The boy was about to move on when it occurred to him 

 that the other owl might be roosting in this hollow tree. 

 Placing a fallen limb against the trunk, he climbed up and 

 peeped in, and what was his surprize to see not one pair 

 of great eyes staring at him, but five pairs, and hearing the 

 snap of not one bill but of five. The boy remembered the 

 owl in the neighbor's corn crib, and it occurred to him 

 that here was the nest of that owl with only the mother to 

 care for the family. 



The fright of being aroused in the daytime over, these 

 young owls began to make a soft, murmuring noise plead- 

 ing for food. The boy always fed any young birds that 

 he could induce to eat, if it were possible. He had a few 

 small minnows with him, so cutting them in pieces with 

 his jack-knife, he fed the five hungry birds. There is no 

 food that a great horned owl relishes so much as fish, 

 though few ever learn to catch it for themselves. They do 

 not usually feed on carcasses, but so fond are they of fish 

 that when a dead one is found it is eagerly devoured. 

 When he put his hand in the nest with the first piece of 

 fish all but one of the young birds crowded to the furthest 

 corner of the hole. Snapping his little bill, this one 

 boldly caught the boy's hand with his baby talons and 

 started to defend himself. But the smell of the fish soon 

 quieted his fear, and he allowed himself to be fed. One 



