THE YOUNG OOLOGIST. 



137 



Little Screech Owls in Pigeon and 

 Poultry Houses. 



During the latter part of last March my 

 pigeon-houses were infested by two pairs 

 of Little Screech Owls (Scops as-h). They 

 spent the day among the catalpas and 

 bushy oaks that stud the yard of the 

 Catholic clergyman, across the street; and, 

 every evening, at dusk, appeared in a tall 

 pecan tree in our poultry -yard, uttered a 

 few cries, and then descended into the 

 pigeon-houses. The pigeons were terrified 

 at the presence of their unwelcome guests 

 and left their homes, passing the nights in 

 the surrounding houses and in trees. 



One evening, a few minutes after dark- 

 ness had set in, the tenants of our property, 

 adjoining the poultry-yard, hastily sent us 

 word that thieves were operating in o\ir 

 poultry-house. 



My brother and I immediately hurried to 

 the poultry -house, he carrying a lantern, 

 and I armed with a pistol. On arriving at 

 the scene of the disturbance, the first live 

 thing we met, was a turkej'-gobbler, with 

 his head trust between two banana trees, 

 and trying, with all of his might, to escape 

 between them. After extricating him from 

 his position, we proceeded to the poultiy- 

 house, to dislodge the thieves. 



Brandishing my pistol, I called to the 

 intruders to surrender; but no sound greet- 

 ed our ears save that of the poultiy trying 

 to regain the perches from whence they 

 were disturbed. We then made an examina- 

 tion ofithe building and yard: not a sign of 

 a thief was visible. 



We found turkeys and chickens about 

 the yard, in corners, bushes and other 

 favorable hiding places. After driving 

 them to tbeir perches, we began inquiring 

 into the cause of the disturbance ; and, as 

 no biped or quadruped of a large size 

 seemed the malefactor, the question natur- 

 ally presented itself: What was it? 



All of our speculations were dissolved, 

 when the Little Screech Owls, who had 

 taken possession of the pigeons' dwellings, 

 were mentioned. It seems that the door 

 ©f a pig'eon-hotise on the side of, and open- 



ing into the poultry house had been left 

 open, and, through it, a pair of the little 

 varlets had entered and, alarming the 

 poultry, produced a stampede among the 

 feathered congregation. 



After this event we determined to kill 

 the disturbers ; one was shot (April 4th), 

 and another was found in a pigeon-nest 

 and destroyed. The other two did not 

 linger long, where their companions were 

 killed, and left not long after. 



A few weeks later, in cleaning out the 

 pigeon-houses, three Little Screech Owl 

 eggs were found in one house, and one agg 

 in another house. They had made no ad- 

 dition to the pigeons' nests; and, unabashed, 

 laid their spherical white eggs in nests, in 

 which the pigeons had reared their young 

 some time before. 



Houma, La. E. C. W. 



»-♦-♦ 



Prehensile Power of the Peet of the 

 CroTw. 



(CORVUS FKUGIVORUS.) 



Apropos of this subject, which has been 

 somewhat discussed lately, my friend 

 fJharles W. Beckwith, Esq., of Frederic- 

 ton, N. B., has sent me the following note: 

 "A few months ago, while walking along 

 the bank of the St. John river, which at 

 that point is something over half a mile 

 wide, I observed a Crow coming toward 

 me from the direction of the opposite 

 shore, holding in his claw some large ob- 

 ject, and laboring heavily against the 

 strong wind which was blowing in his face. 

 Reaching the shore, after considerable ef- 

 fort, he alighted on the branch of an elm 

 growing near to where I stood, and in do- 

 in.o so dropped its burden. On examina- 

 tion this proved to be a dead kitten, not 

 more than three or four days old, I judged 

 from its appearance, and not at all de- 

 cayed." 



Montague Chamberlain, 

 St. John, N. B. 

 »-♦- » — - — 



For every new subscriber you may send 

 us for the Young Oologist, we will give 

 a copy of our new Hand-book. 



