1891.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 55 



it nests on the ground. Owls as a rule build in holes in 

 trees, or in the deserted nests of other birds. The snowy 

 owl occurs in Massachusetts or in the United States only as 

 a winter resident. Sometimes this bird is abundant in 

 different parts of the United States in the winter, especially 

 in the more northern parts. They have been found as far 

 South as Long Island during excessively severe winters, in 

 flocks of considerable numbers, — fifteen or twenty. The 

 snowy owl feeds on rabbits, hares, and a species of grouse 

 somewhat similar to the common partridge. The snowy 

 owl is one of the destructive owls. He preys occasionally 

 on mice and occasionally on other noxious rodents ; but 

 these birds are found in such small numbers in this country 

 that it is not worth while to urge their destruction. In fact, 

 their market value is such that it is not necessary. The 

 specimen I have here is considerably marked with black. 

 The full-plumaged adult male is almost entirely white. I 

 have seen a specimen which was black only on the top of 

 the head and the tip of the wing. Pure white specimens are, 

 however, exceedingly rare. 



Mr. W. H. Bowker. I think the doctor in his remarks 

 with reference to teaching boys has struck upon a very 

 important branch of this discussion. My farm was overrun 

 this last summer with woodchucks. I offered twenty-five 

 cents for old woodchucks and ten cents for young ones, and 

 I gave it not only to my own boy but to five or six boys in 

 the neighborhood. The result was that I got any number of 

 woodchucks. Some of them I presume came from my 

 neighbors' premises, but it encouraged the boys a great 

 deal. Next summer I propose to get my boy an air rifle, 

 and teach him to use it in shooting sparrows. I have a 

 friend in Boston who amuses himself in the winter time by 

 shooting them, and he gathers large numbers of them. I 

 think this Board ought to recommend to the State Board of 

 Education that they teach our children in the public schools, 

 especially in the country districts, something that is 

 practical in reference to natural history. I think that we 

 ought to have a little museum connected with every country 

 school, that shall contain the eggs of the common birds, and 

 and that shall also contain specimens of sparrows and other 



