The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1864-08-26


tho Hawk and the Owl, and seems to bo the
connecting link between tho two familos. 1t
pursues its game, like the hawks, ard by
night, like the owls. Being bird Of so
high northern latitude, thore is no probabil-
ity that 1t will evor become common bere |,
hence the farmer will have nothing to fear
from It's ravages among his poultry. $40.
-.L. TIE BARRED owl, ... ..r q
which is next 10 sIzo, measuring about TWEEN
~ inches, is permanent resident, and more
abundant than any other species of owl
Its food consists mainly of rats, rabbits
squirrels and mice, which II hunts during
! the night time only, aud remains inactive
during tho day. II frequently visits our
houses and barns, ots, when uumolested,
will rapidly thin off tho rats aud mice. A
pair that pested about two hundred rods
from my door, by their nightly visits held
these vermin in check about my promises
| until they were shot-a period of about
three years. Tho nightly visits of pair OF
those birds are worth moro to any farmer
than half dozen good cats. 1t lays two OF
three large, white, round eggs, generally in
hollow trees they are usually batched ou,
the last Of March or iirst Of April.,s tt's
'.' 'y, The SNOWY Own - '"4 go
is next in SIZE, boing about 22 inches long.
IL romains with us only about three months
during the winter, and then passes off to its
home in tho north. It's food Is much the
same as that of tho Hawk OWL though i.
prefers rats, mice and squirrels to birds, and
is not known to disturb poultry. IL is a
very familiar bird, coming frequently about
tho homestead in search of prey, and as it
hnnts partially by daylight. il the weather
be dull and cloudy, its short visit, when ad.
equately protected, becomes of great value
to the farmer. II breeds in British Amori.
ca. Its eggs arc similar to those OF the
larger owls nesting hGre. t'' % ..s. y!n. .
| The GREAT HORNED Owl,
sometimes called Hooting Owl, is sill larger
than the preceding, being "a or 25 inches in
length. 1t is o permanent resident, and
feeds upon rats, rabbits, squirrels, mice and
birds, though chiefly of the former. Of which
it destroys thousands annually. Notwi,h-
standing the great good it docs 10 protecting
the farmers crops from tho ravoges Of rate,
mice. etc, 1t is rwautonIy slain by many,
simply because it occasionally takes q hen
o. chicken. 10000 RIOS! f.tl.nfr, u4i
A farmer friend of mine, who had boen
accustomed to shoot every one he could
find, was at last induced to examine the nest
of one Of these birds that had young In it..
He did so. and Is nov fully convinced of the
folly of his previous course. lie found the
young feeding upon three largo rats which
the parent birds had just brought in. Ho
now protects his poultry at night, and gives
the owls full sweep. and is satisfied no is
greatly:the gamer thereby. l.-.aa .. .... .
This bird remains Inactive during the day
hunting only At night. II nests usually in
the forks Of some tall troe, laying two or
tareo eggs about one and one.b halt inches in
diameter, White and round, which are hatch
ed out The last of March. na rr.
THE GREAT GREY Owl
is the largest Of North American owls, being
frequently thirty inches in length. IL is
abundant in Canada aud north ward, but il
is only wintor visitor here. and worry rare.
This bold and daring bird is strictly noctur-
nal in Its habits, and feeds on much the
same kind OF food as other large owls. As
there is no probability that it will ever be
common here. no further notice need be ia.
ken OF its habits aud peculiarities. 1t breeds
north of tho Lakes. &"
The above is brief view of the food, ha-
bits and relative numbers of the several spe-
cies of owls found in this county. s....
1t will be seen that the food of the entire
family consists mailIy of animals and in.
sects very Injurious to agriculture; and that
their peculiar formation, and nocturnal ha-
bits, eminently qualify them to wage most
destructive warfare against those deprodat-
ors upon farm crops, at time when they
are least prepared to avoid it. and when, but
for these birds, their rAvages would be Gu
.irely unchecked, since all other birds of
prey are then at rest. t.. uui|.H
% All the smaller members Of the family are
entirely harmless, and the larger can do no
other mischief than the occasional taking of
hen or chicken but this, which dwindles
into insignifcance when compared with the
good they do, may be entirely avoided by
one bali days labor. Build poultry honse,
With one opening up from the ground, just
large enough for the fowls to enter, and
your poultry are perfectly safe, though a
dozen o,ols should be around, for no, ono of
them will pass through that opening in the
search for game They watch from some
emiuence, and when anything appears In
view their keen eye quickly detects it, and
noiseess, rapid plunge Of the bird secures
it as quickly, when it is Immediately crushed
70 death by the powerful claws Of it's oaptor.
Itis estimated that a single pair of owls
will, on an average, consume annually from
two to three thousand rats, mice, squirrels,
etc now, If it is admitted that twenty of