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Bird - Lore 



were thousands of pellets, containing 

 skulls, bones and hair of meadow mice. A 

 careful search among this mass of debris 

 failed to reveal a single feather, or other 

 part of any bird, or anything, indeed, but 

 meadow mice and other small mammals. 



I have no means of knowing how many 

 years the birds had used the cavity in 

 this old tree as a home, but it had no 

 doubt been for a considerable time, and, 

 although it stands in quite an exposed 

 situation, it has answered their purpose 

 admirably. 



It is difficult to estimate the amount of 

 good the Owls accomplish in keeping in 

 check the noxious enemies of the man who 

 tills the soil, and the sooner he learns to 

 protect and encourage them about his 

 premises, the sooner will these pests cease 

 their destructive annoyance. All of our 

 Owls, perhaps with the possible exception 

 of the Great Horned Owl, are beneficial 

 in a large degree and deserving of good 

 treatment. — Thomas H. Jackson, West 

 Chester, Pa. 



House Sparrow vs. Robin 



A pair of Robin Redbreasts showed 

 little human wisdom in choosing for a 

 nest-site a bare oak limb directly above a 

 much-traveled path. Fears were enter- 

 tained that some wanton passer-by might 

 interfere with them; but trouble came 

 from another source. 



Attracted by a bird brawl in the direc- 

 tion of the nest, I observed an English 

 Sparrow cock and two militant hens 

 hectoring the mother Robin on the nest. 

 Neither Robin nor Sparrows appeared near 

 the nest for several days. A peep into the 

 nest revealed a small mottled egg, un- 

 mistakable proof that the pesky Sparrows 

 had dispossessed the rightful owners. 



The Robins built a new nest in a young 

 maple about one hundred yards away. 

 Again they were set upon by the Sparrows, 

 with the result that a Robin's egg was 

 thrown down. It seems plausible that the 

 marauders committed this deed. — J. H. 

 Rohrback, Richmond Hill, N. Y. 



MASS OF PELLETS OF THE BARN OWL 



