60 



THE OOLOGISf 



American Hawk Owl on Nesting Stub. — Photo by A. D. Henderson 



together unnecessary restrictions. 

 This has little to do, however, with 

 what I started to write about, that in- 

 teresting and talkative little bird, the 

 Hawk Owl. 



On one occasion when loading some 

 hay cocks which had been left out 

 and snowed under a Hawk Owl fol- 

 lowed us around the meadow looking 

 for mice as the cocks were lifted. 

 Once it perched on the hayrack itself. 

 On another occasion when driving to 

 Edmonton, I noticed one which had 

 just caught a large white weasel or 

 ermine. I wanted the weasel and 

 tried to scare it into dropping it by 

 shooting but there was nothing doing 

 and it flew away with its prize. 



In looking for the nest of any par- 

 ticular bird which you have not taken 

 before it is a great help to know, from 

 the writings of other collectors, some- 

 thing about the breeding habits of the 

 birds. 



The date of nesting, the nature of 

 the locality preferred by the birds and 

 the usual position of the nest, are all 

 of prime importance. I had read of 

 nests of the Hawk Owl being taken 

 from the top of birch stubs and also 

 in old crows' and hawks' nests, con- 

 sequently when I made up my mind 

 to find a nest of this species of owl 

 I looked in these places, but without 

 success. 



