Me reae lr BO UN* BLES alo Ni 31 
Another important mouse-eating hawk is one which visits us in the 
fall and departs in the spring, its summer home being farther northward. 
This is the Marsh Hawk or Harrier, easily recognized by its long wings 
and tail, conspicuous white patch on the lower back, and its habit of 
coursing or beating back and forth over meadows in search for field 
mice; but woe betide any small bird encountered on the way. The adult 
male of the Marsh Hawk is bluish gray above and white beneath, while 
the adult female and young are dark brown above and buff or rusty 
below, striped with brown; but the conspicuous white patch above the 
base of the tail is always present and 1s a positive identification mark. 
Of owls much the commoner of the large kind is the Barred Owl or 
Hoot Owl (the one who says “‘Who-who, who-who, who cooks for you 
all” or as some prefer to interpret it, ““Who-who, who-who, who-who, 
who-are-you’’). It is perfectly safe to say that no one, man or boy, with 
a loaded gun in his hands ever missed a chance to shoot one of these 
owls; and unfortunately this is an easy matter since the species is not, 
like the Great Horned Owl, shy, and is easily decoyed by a fairly good 
imitation of its call. This is a great pity, for the Barred Owl is distinctly 
more beneficial than injurious, rarely (notwithstanding a general belief 
to the contrary) destroying domestic fowls or game birds but feeding for 
the most part on rats, mice, rabbits, and other small four-footed animals, 
as well as crawfish, frogs, etc. Not so the Great Horned Owl, however, 
which fortunately is a much scarcer bird, for many a barnyard fowl does 
he crowd from the roost on the limb of the old apple tree and, as it 
loses its balance and flutters toward the ground, seizes it in his powerful 
claws and bears it away to some convenient spot and devours it. Even 
turkeys are sometimes killed by this powerful and voracious night 
prowler, whose strength and ferocity are so great that one has been 
known to kill a Bald Eagle when the two were placed in the same cage. 
(This actually happened in the experience of Dr. P. R. Hoy, of Racine, 
Wisconsin, who related the circumstances to the writer.) The “hoot” of 
the Great Horned Owl is very different from that of the Barred Owl. It 
is of a much lower tone and seemingly not so loud when heard near by, 
but carries to a much greater distance. It may be likened to the crossing 
signal of a railroad engine that has a hoarse-toned whistle. 
The little Screech Owl is a species concerning whose economical status 
I am somewhat in doubt, since he destroys both vermin (in the shape of 
mice and large insects) and birds. I believe, however, that on the whole 
he is more injurious than beneficial; but until you are able, from observa- 
tion to decide in your own minds, give him the benefit of the doubt. 
Still another owl is much less common than those already mentioned 
and so far as I know is only found with us during the colder half of the 
year. This is the Short-eared Owl, a medium sized species, though when 
in flight appearing larger from the wide expanse of his wings. Some of 
you no doubt have flushed him from the grass as you crossed some meadow 
