380 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
[October, 
[COPYRIGHT SECURED.] 
REPRI SAL S.— DRAWN by J. C. Beard. — Engraved for the American Agriculturist. 
Most of the owls may be regarded as the 
farmer’s enemies. The larger species, especially 
in new countries, prey upon the domestic fowls 
that roost out of doors, and they have been 
known to carry off even so large a bird as a half- 
grown turkey, while chickens fall ready victims 
to their powerful claws. Nor are the smaller 
species any less injurious, as they destroy large 
numbers of insect-eating birds, especially while 
young, and thus deprive the farmer of many a 
friend. Although some of the small owls prey 
upon mice aud the larger insects, yet the good 
they effect in this way is more than offset by 
the injury they do to birds. Owls of all kinds 
are regarded as marauders, and, like the hawks, 
are shot when opportunity offers. It is a satis¬ 
faction to know that the owls do not have it all 
their own way. Though they may make havoc 
at night, the small birds frequently have their 
revenge in the daytime, when the owl is scarce¬ 
ly able to see, and is almost powerless to act on 
the defensive. When the day birds discover 
the retreat of an owl, they make common cause 
against him. Almost all of the day birds, large 
and small, seem animated by a decided anti¬ 
pathy to their nocturnal enemy, aud gather 
around him, screeching and pecking at him, and 
making him the subject of their impotent rage. 
The small birds, not being birds of prey, have 
not the power to inflict much injury upon the 
owl, but they are able to greatly annoy him and 
interfere with his repose. Naturalists hunting 
for specimens are frequently able ts find the 
whereabouts of an owl from the discordant 
screeching made by the usually mild-man¬ 
nered birds that are thus attacking him. 
