44 OUR SOUTHERN BIRDS 



He has two color phases, a reddish brown and 

 a gray, which he wears without respect to age, 

 sex, or season. The best time to watch for him 

 is at dusk, when he comes out to flit soundlessly 

 from tree to tree: for he remains unseen and 

 unseeing by day, and during the night it is our 

 eyes which are blind and cannot see him. 



The well-known cry of the Screech Owl is so 

 mournful a sound that many people do not like 

 to hear it. But we may at least be sure that this 

 uncanny tremolo represents nothing like sadness 

 in the mood of the producer ; he is never so happy 

 as when crooning to his mate or to the friendly 

 moon. I am for letting him enjoy himself in his 

 own peculiar way. At the worst, it resembles 

 that of certain of our own poets and novelists 

 who express themselves best in most doleful 

 themes, yet on acquaintance are found to be the 

 jolliest optimists alive. 



Negroes often heat a poker in the fire, and 

 people with recollections of the witchcraft delu- 

 sion sometimes tie knots in a sheet, to conjure 

 the little Owl and stop his quavering cry. But 

 is it not much better to conjure away one's 

 groundless dislike and terror of so harmless a 

 creature by a closer acquaintance with its inter- 

 esting ways? 



. Other Owls of the region are the large Barn 

 Owl with its curious ape-like face, and the Great 



