18 NATURE AND WOODCRAFT. 



owlships, snoring and blinking wide their 

 great round eyes. Their duet is the most un- 

 earthly, ridiculous, grave noise conceivable; un- 

 like anything you ever heard. There they will 

 stay all day, digesting the mice with which 

 they have gorged themselves, until twilight, 

 when they again issue forth upon their madcap 

 revels. This clever mouser, then, has a strong 

 claim to our protection ; so let not idle super- 

 stition further its destruction. 



