14 INTRODUCTION. 



stomach contents of the individuals examined and the fragments of 

 food found about its nests reveal traces of very little else than the 

 remains of these rodents. To appreciate properly the services of this 

 owl it must be remembered that the pouched gophers are among the 

 most, if not the most, destructive mammals which inhabit this country. 

 In the South this owl lives largely on cotton rats, another very destruc- 

 tive animal, and at various places it has been found to feed extensively 

 on the common rat. 



The Long-eared and Short-eared Owls feed extensively on mice and 

 sparingly on small birds — mostly grain-eating or seed-eating species, 

 which are of slight economic importance. All of the common species of 

 mice are found among the stomach contents, and as both birds are 

 numerous the service done the farmer is correspondingly great. 



The Barred Owl, if any reliance may be placed upon the accounts of 

 earlier writers, feeds largely upon poultry and game, though from more 

 recent investigations it would seem that either the bird has modified 

 its habits or that the statements of their destructiveness are very much 

 exaggerated. Our own examinations, so far as they go, prove that less 

 than 3 per cent of the food of this bird consists of poultry, while a large 

 proportion consists of such rodents as rabbits, squirrels, and various 

 species of rats and mice. It feeds quite extensively also on frogs and 

 crawfish. 



The little Screech Owl, so well known in most parts of the country, 

 is indefatigable in its work of destroying mice and insects. It may 

 often be seen at dusk hovering about barns and outhouses watching 

 for mice, or skimming over the fields or along the hedge rows in search 

 of grasshoppers, crickets, and beetles. During the time it is caring 

 for its young it occasionally captures small birds, as well as in winter 

 when hard pressed for food. As an offset, the individuals inhabiting 

 the city parks have learned to feed more or less extensively on the 

 English sparrow, for which good service they should be particularly 

 commended, as the English sparrow has become a most destructive 

 nuisance. 



The Burrowing Owl is the only remaining species of this class which 

 will be specially mentioned. During the warmer parts of the year it 

 feeds extensively on scorpions, centipedes, grasshoppers, crickets, and 

 various species of beetles, as well as on mice and ground squirrels. 

 Few birds are destroyed by it. Occasionally when other food is scarce, 

 especially in the northern part of its range in winter, it is forced to 

 prey upon small birds, from necessity rather than choice. There is no 

 excuse whatever for destroying this owl and it should be protected by 

 law. 



The third class (c) includes those birds whose beneficial and noxious 

 qualities about balance one another. As was said above of birds gen- 

 erally, so it may be said of hawks and owls, that frequently a species 

 which in one place is properly to be considered noxious from its pred 



