44 BIRD STUDIES WITH A f^AMERA 



Moro welcome tenants than tlio House Sparrows 

 are a pair of Screech Owls, who for years have 

 reared their broods in a dovecotelike gal)le, where 

 they are beyond the reach of nest robbers of all 

 kinds. During the winter they apparently are ab- 

 sent, nor indeed are they seen until June, when, each 

 evening at sundown, one of the pair, proljably the 



2:1. RciTOfli Owl. y 3. 



male, takes his post at the entrance to its home and 

 gives utterance to the crooning refrain which some- 

 times follows the sn-called tremulous "screech." 

 But the latter I never hear at this seas(.)ii. In spite 

 of the poor light ])revailing at this hour, the bird's 

 stillness has tempted re]ieated trials to secure its 

 picture, and the most successfid, made with a four- 



