AN OLD BARRED OWL, 57 



the poultry yard again. Surely all the destruction of mice 

 and rabbits which he had wrought must be worth another 

 fowl! 



Near the chicken house some guineas were roosting in a 

 tree. Silently he swooped down upon one of these. A 

 moment later both were upon the ground, but before the 

 guinea had expired it had given vent to several heartrend- 

 ing screams, which had set the whole roost to cackling. 

 The owl was on the point of rising with his prey when he 

 caught sight of a man 

 near the garden gate. 

 There was a flash and 

 the roar of a gun. At 

 this he fled, badly fright- 

 ened, to the woods. 



An hour later, when all 

 was quiet, he returned to 



the spot where he had dropped his burden. For some reason 

 it was under a strong box, which was propped up by some 

 sticks. But the babies in the woods were hungry ; so under 

 the box he cautiously went. The guinea seemed tied to a 

 stick. He gave it a pull, when suddenly down came the 

 box, and he was a prisoner. 



Great was the rejoicing in the neighborhood the next 

 morning when it became known that "the old swamp owl" 



