THE BARN OWL 



was sufficiently strong to take her picture in the morning? She 

 was feeding her young, and they would be very hungry, but not 

 particularly hurt by a little longer fast than usual, and no doubt 

 they would cry for food and keep her near. When she found she 

 could not reach them she would perch close, and then, if they 

 would cry, there was every probability that she would fly to them, 

 even in a fairly strong light. 



That day my lenses were polished like diamonds, a fresh me- 

 dium plate placed in the camera, the shutter set at a bulb exposure 

 and everything tested to see that it worked smoothly. When 

 Mother Owl left that night, we discussed giving her until mid- 

 night to bring several rounds of food to the babies, but dared not 

 risk it. If the Owlets were not very hungry they would not cry, 

 and if they did not, it was almost sure their mother would not try 

 to fly by day. 



A board was nailed securely over the opening. Mother Owl 

 returned and attacked it beak and claw. Soon her mate came, 

 and how the two of them worked! It was almost too bad. I 

 fancied I could see Mother Owl shaking her head when she really 

 had some reason to shake it. My heart failed me. This was not 

 living up to my pact. It was not treating that mother as I would 

 be treated. I whispered to the guide to go and take away the 

 board. It is a good thing that he was made of a little sterner 

 stuff, for he pointed out that the young were well grown, that 

 there was nothing happening to injure them permanently, that 

 they were birds of prey, and that if they didn't want their pic- 

 tures taken they had no business to carry about such faces to 

 tempt us. 



At times they would leave. Then they would return, some- 

 times together, sometimes singly, and work to get the board away. 

 The night was clear and cool and filled with sounds. The guide 

 repeatedly assured me that there were no snakes, and I had seen 



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