BIRDS OF DURHAM AND VICINITY. 
49 
was formed sufficient to hold the heaviest man. The weather contin- 
ued cold, and for ten days that ice sheet was an impassable barrier 
between earth and air. The few land birds here suffered severely, 
and undoubtedly many died, as even the tree trunks were more than 
half covered and the branches were wholly encased. Near the end 
of this trying period, Mr. John Drew found a Saw-whet Owl in the 
road as he was returning one afternoon from Dover. It was unable to 
fiv, and he caught it. He tried to keep the owl alive, but it died 
before morning, and by the kindness of its captor came into my 
possession. Dissection showed plainly that the bird had starved. 
The ice blockade was as effective to mice beneath, as to birds above 
it, but while it was death to the owl, it undoubtedly saved the life of 
many a mouse. 
Megascops asio. Screech Owl. 373. 
The Screech Owl is a permanent resident, and not uncommon in 
pine woods. Its food is largely insectivorous, though mice, birds, 
snakes, frogs, and worms are on its bill of fare. Instead of being 
shot at sight as it is, it, in common with all of our owls except the 
Great Horned Owl, should be respected as an ally, and treated as the 
friend it certainly is. It nests usually in hollow trees. 
Bubo virginianus. Great Horned Owl. 375. 
Great Horned Owls are permanent residents, and may be seen 
oftener here than anywhere else in the state that I know of. It is 
commonly supposed that owls cannot see well in the daytime, but 
any one v*ho has tried to approach Great Horned Owls knows better. 
There is not a bird on the list with keener vision even in sunshine. 
They have always been credited with acute hearing powers, and 
nobody who has examined an owPs ear can doubt it. However, I 
have always been able to approach this species much nearer when 
hidden by a large tree or other object than when exposed to view by 
ever so little. The whereabouts of these owls are often indicated by 
crows, which cherish a bitter hatred for them, and probably with good 
reason, as they are not above eating crow. Whenever I have been 
led to one of these owls by the outcry of the crows, I have always 
noticed that the owl became aware of my presence before the crows 
were. The only way I have succeeded in getting a good view of an 
owl, under such circumstances, has been to get near enough to see by 
the actions of the crows about where the owl was, and then, throwing 
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