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Birds of Massachusetts. 87 
© The red owl rears its young in Massachusetts ; it 
lays from four to six eggs, in a hollow tree, with a 
lining of hay or leaves. As soon as the young are 
hatched, it makes liberal provision of food for them. 
It is the small birds which suffer on these occasions, 
and it is in revenge for this carnage, that they pur- 
sue the owl with so much detestation. 
The Great HonNED or Cat Own, Strix Virgin- | 
iana, is well known, though not much to his advan- 
tage, in consequence of his depredations on the do- 
mestic poultry. Being one of the largest and strong- 
est of his tribe, more than two feet in length and 
four in extent, with energy and courage in propor- 
tion, he is capable of making great destruction in 
solitary farm yards, especially when he adds to his 
powers of mischief, a caution and cunning, in which 
even the cat does not exceed him. This, however, 
is one of those evils which lessen as the population 
increases, so that in our state, though most villagers 
are acquainted with the bird, there is not much 
complaint made of his depredations. 
The flight of this owl is easy and graceful: when 
it discerns its prey, it falls upon it so swiftly that - 
escape is impossible. Hardly anything comes anjap 
to its voracious appetite, but it prefers the larg 
gallinaceous birds, and. delights particularly in: 
fish that chance may throw upon the shore. Its cries 
are loud and shrill, sometimes resembling the bark- 
ing of a dog; at other times, they are compared to 
the last gurglings of a murdered man striving in 
vain to call for oF When wounded, it. resists with 
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