BIRD PARADISE 229 



fellows are great scavengers. Grubs, large in- 

 sects, mice, frogs and toads are among the viands 

 of their daily bread. I suppose they make use 

 of some of the smaller birds when they come in 

 their way. I saw on the plains of the southwest 

 a little owl that seemed like an exact counterpart 

 of our diminutive Mend. Its home was with 

 the prairie-dogs and it was known as the burrow- 

 ing owl. I learned that it occupied the holes 

 that the dogs had abandoned, living on good 

 terms with its active neighbors. I heard its call 

 and in some respects it resembled that of its 

 Northern kinsman. Another difference was quite 

 marked. Our Northern bird does all its active 

 work in the night ; the Southern bird is on duty 

 through the day, hiding away in the darker 

 rooms of its home during the night. I rather like 

 the call of this bird of the night. It savors of 

 life, even though its weirdness seems a little for- 

 bidding. 



The chickadees have begun their annual visits 

 to my lawn trees. They time their first coming 

 to the ripeness of the season. Last week they 

 appeared and I have heard or seen them every 

 day since. I know of no other bird more domes- 



