THE NEIGHBORLY SCREECH OWLS 



71 



afraid to go to bed alone because of the dole- 

 ful sound. 



On warm nights the Naturalist loved to roll 

 up in a blanket and lie in the grass. One after 

 another of the birds would come and alight 

 above his head and converse in the friendliest 

 manner. From them he tried to learn the mys- 

 tery of the night and looking up at the stars 

 wondered whether other Naturalists were 

 making friends with other owls on the planets 

 revolving about the specks of light in the infi- 

 nite depths of the heavens above. His specula- 



By this time the boys were interested in the owl family also, so that there were 

 numerous visitors to the home of the birds in the box. 



