48 



BIRDS OF PREY 



The bird-food represented the following: 21 domestic 

 birds, 1 1 song birds, 3 ruffed grouse, 2 quail; 1 pinnated grouse, 

 1 pigeon, 1 rail, 1 wild duck, 1 Cooper's hawk and 2 unknown. 



The mammals found were as follows: 46 mice and rats, 

 32 rabbits and hares, 7 shrews, 5 squirrels, 3 chipmunks, 4 

 pocket gophers, 2 skunks, 1 weasel and 1 bat. 



Photograph by E. R. Warren. 



YOUNG GREAT HORNED OWLS. 



Beyond question, the debit balance against this bird is 

 heavy, and justifies its destruction, wherever found; but at 

 the same time, it goes against the grain to kill a bird which 

 destroys so many rats. In British Columbia the Great Horned 

 Owls became so fearfully destructive to grouse that finally the 

 provincial game warden began systematically to destroy them. 

 In the two years, 1910-11, 3,139 were killed, after which it 

 was noticed that the grouse began to increase. 



