90 



never seen an owl before but was perfectly willing to take 

 a chance on hectoring him. Every time she flew across the 

 room she would whistle with glee as he opened his eyes and 

 blinked at her. The owl made no attempt to dissuade her 

 from her play but I imagine he was saj'ing to himself: "You 

 just wait until night, j^ou little blue imp, and I'll wring 

 your neck." Of course as Kitty was safely fastened in her 

 own apartment before dark, the owl had no opportunity to 

 get his revenge. 



It is a pity that such beautiful and interesting birds as 

 Blue Jays should be so destructive. They do a great deal 

 of useful work in destroying caterpillars but the harm thej' 

 work in destroying eggs and young of other useful birds 

 much more than balances the good that they do. Still I 

 think that no one would advocate the extermination of jays; 

 certainly not until that greatest of all pests, the English 

 Sparrow is gotten rid of. 



Fig. 79. NEST OP RUBY-THR. HUMMINGBIRD. 



