254 
OUR HOME BIRDS. 
The thief instantly made for his hole under the 
house, from whence the enraged matron soon dis- 
lodged him with the brush-handle, and without 
mercy despatched him. In this snug retreat were 
found the greater part of the feathers and many 
large fragments of her whole family of chickens.’ 
“ I have seen an account of one that was caught 
and kept in a cage. Of course, he could not do any 
mischief, as he might have done had he been left to 
fly about the house. The story says : ‘ He became 
very troublesome by barking like a dog. The mas- 
ter of the house could not sleep for the constant yelp, 
yelp, of the supposed cur, and a large Newfoundland 
dog was so deceived that he kept barking in reply. 
At last the gentleman got up and took his stick, and 
sallied forth to drive away the intruder. But no 
dog was to be seen, and he at last traced the yelping 
sound to the cage of the owl.’ ” 
Malcolm thought it was fine fun for the owl to 
play them such a trick, but the little girls were very 
decided in their opinion that it was a very mean 
trick to rouse up the dog and the master by such a 
noise. 
“ The great horned owl usually builds in the 
month of May. The nest is generally placed in the 
fork of a tall tree, and is made of sticks piled in 
considerable quantities, lined with dry leaves and a 
