234 



Descriptive Zoology. 



The owls have both eyes facing forward. The eyes are 

 large, and have very dilatable pupils, thus enabling them to 

 see well at night. Owls have a soft plumage and an almost 

 noiseless flight. They depend more on stealth than on 

 swiftness for securing their prey. They do much good by 



FIG. 139. THE MARSH HAWK. 



From Grinnell's Our Feathered Friends. 



destroying rats and mice. They swallow birds and mice 

 nearly whole ; later the bones, hair, and any other indigesti- 

 ble portions are ejected from the mouth. Many owls have 

 tufts of feathers called "ears," "ear tufts," or "horns," 

 but these probably are merely ornamental. The great 

 horned owl is well known by its hoot, " hoo-hoo, hoo-hoo, 



