WINTER AT ITS HEIGHT 53 



The only birds of prey that I saw during the winter 

 were owls, one of which was much like the common barn- 

 owl of England. A bird of this kind used to frequent the 

 roof of my hut at evening time, where he found some 

 kind of small prey under the shingles. I have heard 

 him hooting between midnight and two o'clock in the 

 morning ; never later, and seldom sooner. After I took 

 to placing pieces of meat for him he became a constant 

 visitor until spring arrived, when I saw him no more. 



The great grey owl (Syrnium cinereum) was frequently 

 seen, generally in pairs, from which circumstance I con- 

 clude that they pah* permanently. Like other owls hi 

 this district they are seldom seen during daylight, but 

 appear pretty early in the evening. Their favourite perch 

 is on the withered branch of a pine tree, or on such a tree 

 that is blasted by lightning or other cause. They are 

 usually a silent bird, and prey on all sorts of birds and 

 small mammals, and the Indians will cook and eat them 

 without scruple. For the sake of experiment I tried one 

 roasted myself, with the result that I think that there is 

 nothing but prejudice to prevent a meal being made of 

 them. The Indians generally boil them, as they do grouse 

 and ducks and geese, and I may say that all these birds are 

 insipid enough so cooked. The ducks, &c., are at best but 

 poor eating in this country. The owls are caught in traps 

 without bait ; for the Indians mark where the bird is in the 

 habit of pitching, and place the trap there. As the owl is 

 sure to come to its favourite perch, and is quite oblivious 

 of trap, it is thus caught. Sometimes a pole with a cross- 

 piece is erected where the owls haunt, and the trap (a 

 large steel rat-trap) fixed atop. This is also an efficacious 

 way of catching them, as it is of several other species of 

 owls, particularly the one next mentioned. The great grey 

 owl is found, in limited numbers, all the year round, but 

 the bulk of them retire southwards as the whiter comes 

 on. As when the cold was very severe and in bad weather 

 I never saw them about, I conclude that at such times 



