The Hawk-eye O. and O. 49 



The sun, which had been tardy in appearing during the earlier 

 part of the day, now shone full down through the trees, just 

 melting the snow underneath, destroying my foot prints except on 

 occasions where, at the foot of some slight eminence, the snow 

 was deeper. 



I shuddered at the possibility of becoming bewildered and lost 

 in all that wild, dreary waste; and, losing my way, be compelled 

 to spend the night in the swamp, seeking shelter as best I could 

 among the thick brush, with only my light gun for protection 

 against the possible attacks cf numerous gray timber wolves 

 known to infest the swamp. 



The day was waning and as yet I had discovered nothing that 

 looked like an Owl's nest. Many times I was on the point of giv- 

 iug up, take the shortest cut out of the swamp and make my way 

 home; but was prevented from so doing by my dogged determin- 

 ation to do my duty with the hope of its reward. 



1 was following a small stream that ran in a winding course 

 through the swamp, and had entered a small opening occupied 

 only by several trees larger than the rest, when my attention was 

 attracted by the passage overhead of some object that flitted past 

 and struck on the large limb of a tree some way off to my right. 

 Cautiously I made my way within full sight of the object, and 

 my heart was gladdened and my hopes arose, for there sat a fine 

 specimen of the Barred or Round-head Owl, his big black eyes 

 blinking bewilderingly at having been disturbed. I immediately 

 began to search among the neighboring trees in hopes of locatino- 

 the nest, but could discover nothing. 1 traveled some distance 

 away, until I lost my bearings and could not have found my way 

 back to where I had first seen the owl, but for my tracks left in 

 occasional patches of snow. Further I traveled, my hopes gradu- 

 ally sinking the further I went, till at last I made a headlong 

 plunge through an unusually tangled thicket, and with a rush 

 came standing at the foot of this very same old pine stub. Look- 



