202 



AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



A FAMILY GROUP. 



Photo from life by Dr. J. B. Pardee. 

 (Young Screech Owls.) 



ed in the trees near a house and there made such a noise that the 

 people came out and drove them away with stones. This statement is 

 vouched for by Mr. F. H. Mosher and Mr. C. E, Wood corroborates it. 

 Owls probably never congregate in this way except where they find an 

 abundance of suitable food. They were probably attracted to that 

 locality at that time by the increase of field mice or some destructive 

 insect pest, for birds of prey can subsist in flocks only where animal 

 food is very plenty. Wherever field mice unduly increase, owls flock 

 to the feast and they are very effective in reducing the plagues of mice 

 which occasionly occur in different parts of the world. 



Young owls do not, like tne saints, "grow in grace." They are 

 rather angular and awkward creatures. They do not appear to advan- 

 tage while feeding, especially when they have reached that "weedy" 

 stage represented by the bird at the age of five weeks. The bird stands 

 with wide spread legs regarding its prey, then crouches over it with 

 drooping wings and bristling plumage. If by seizing its prey in its 

 capacious beak it can swallow it bodily the meal is soon finished and 

 this rapid manner of disposing of its food seems to satisfy the owl's 

 sense of fitness. 



