SPORTS OF THE WINTER WOODS 309 



night bird of the* winter woods, an owl. Per- 

 haps the last greeting from the woods which 

 the wayfarer will get as he leaves the diminish- 

 ing red glow of the falling embers behind him 

 and fares on under the keen, cold twinkle of 

 the stars will be the questioning "who-who- 

 whoo?" of the one of the big species of 

 these birds, a barred owl or a great horned 

 owl. More likely in our neighborhood it will 

 be the gentle, quavering call of the little 

 screech owl, a voice of friendliness out of the 

 silence, dear to every true lover of the woods. 

 With this voice and perhaps a gleam of the 

 friendly eyes in the purple dusk the chronicle of 

 the day's sport may well end. 



