LAND BIRDS OF THE DUNES 



the migrations. I have seen it but seldom, 

 however, during the last half dozen years. 

 Colored like the sand and the leafless bushes, 

 it is rarely noticed until it mounts into the air 

 and flaps, and sails away. 



I have thrice been so fortunate as to see a 

 snowy owl in the Ipswich dunes. On the first 

 occasion I had nearly walked by the bird, 

 as it sat in its characteristic attitude, bent at 

 an angle of forty-five degrees, when I discov- 

 ered that the gray stump about seventy yards 

 away was a snowy owl. His eyes were narrow 

 slits more than twice as long as broad, but 

 he kept one of them on me, and he occasion- 

 ally turned his head so that one eye relieved 

 the other. After watching him in return for 

 fifteen minutes I relaxed my " frozen " pos- 

 ture, and dropping to the ground, endeavored 

 to stalk him. Notwithstanding all my care, 

 he took alarm at once, and, spreading his great 

 wings and throwing his feathered feet out 

 behind, he flew off with broad wing sweeps. 



Both of these owls are well able to see by 

 day in the broad glare of the sun, and are not 

 birds of the night alone. Both are great 

 mousers, and as such are of service to agri- 

 culture. It is recorded that in the year 1580 



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