232 BIRD-LAND ECHOES. 



in one place all the year, and thereby showed their 

 sense. Besides these there was the irregularly annual 

 flight of those owls that appeared not only in this 

 trackless wilderness of wild rice, bulrushes, and quick- 

 sands, but in all the surrounding country. 



It may be presumed, from the fact that it often 



Saw-whet Owl. 



pounces on a mouse long before sunset, and also 

 from the manner of its flight when flushed, that the 

 marsh-owl can see pretty well by daylight; but it 

 does not like being disturbed during the day, and 

 will skulk like a wounded bird rather than leave 

 the grass. One that I long held in captivity usu- 



