The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1875-03-04
A CHAPTER on OWLS.

| Owls are strong-pinioned and capable
| OF protracted f1ight One naturalist re-
| lates that he once saw the burrowing-
owl hover for two hours about thirty feet
above the ground, never changing posi-.
ton in all that time except occasionally
to rise or fall little distance in the cir
| Owls have not the narrow, pointed wings
of those birds which perform swift and
rapid flights. On the contrary their
wings are wide and rounded, and the
feathers are broad-webbed, with the
barbs separate at the ends, and with the
shafts covered with fine hair and edged
with loose, silky down to muff1e every
sound when In motion. The light,
stealthy tread of the cat is not more
noiseless than the fitting of the owl,
which cleaves the air without interrupt
ing the most profound stiffness. Audi.
Don tells of their often gliding by within
few yards of him, but so silently that
their presence was betrayed only by their
shadow falling in the moonlight.
How profoundly sage is the look of this
| birdl With its big head, great ewes.
hooked beak and staid behavior it really
has an air of wonderful wisdom-as if all
the knowledge in heaven and earth were
comprehended in its philosophy. but it
could never, condescend to betray auy of
Its secrets to pitiful humanity. 1t is not
strange that Minerva chose the bird as
her emblem, or that the Hindoos and
Mongols should pay it divine honors. Nor
Is IL singular that the superstitious should
regard IL with fear from its expression OF
unearthly sapience, and, more than all,
from lis tondness for the night and dark
ness and solitude, its uncanny wav of
haunting ghostly ruins and the deepest
recesses OF the forest, and from its dole
ful, lugubrious cries, which startle the
lonely night air as with the wells and
means of evil spirits.
There are 200 species of owls known to
the ornithologists, seventeen of which
lnhaolt North America and fifteen the
continent OF Europe. They are the most
cosmopolitan of birds, and their habits
are much the same the world over. AT
the poles or the tropics they are invari-
aply distinguished by an appearance of
superior Intelligence and an extraor-
! binary phlegm of character They are
an poor archi'ects, building slight, rude
nests OF few sticks or feathers, or
oones, hair and refuse, and, as we might
expect from this indifference TO the com
lorts OF substantial home, they have
very llttle social or domestic feeling
Most species prefer to live solitary at all
seasons, exclusive OF the few weeks nee
essarlly devoted to the raising of fam
lily. The great horned owl. T},Io Viroio-
Janus, seems to be incapable of even
mental affection, and regards its mate
with coid-blooded apathy Indeed, an
instance. is on record where a pair of
these unfeeling birds were kent in CON
nnement, and the female actually killed
ana ate up her husband 1t is impossi
pie 10 tame the fierce Bubo. Though
taken young and treated with tender
ness no spark OF gratitude or affection
can be kindled in its heart.
some others of the species submit
gracefully to the conditions of captiyitv
anu become amusing and agreeable do.
mestlc companions. The mottled owl
or screen owl (Sc0ps asto), is especi ,lIy
amenaole to the Influences of civilization
IL VIII not change its nature-layinv of
Its nocturnal and rapacious nab Is and
taxing Its food dress d and cooked after
the manner of Christian-but it mani
1es,s considerable regard for its owner
VIII learn to come at call, recognizing ITS
name, and will suffer itself to be str0ked
dnG petted by familiar hands. Owls are
az heart Dy no means the stolid creatures
lHey look to be by daylight. When
ntsnt approaches, the period of their ac.
tlFlty, they are as keen and shrewd and
QUICK In Their movements as almost any
other OF the feathered race.
Hunters who camp out in the forest
or travellers passing through the wooded
districts after nightfall, have an opnor.
tunlty OF Witnessing the odd, unre.
strained antics OF the bird. When dark
ness shuts down on the world 1t holds
nigh carnival, and on noise ess WINGS
nlts through the gloom, cour,ing with
unerrlhg precision dim and devious ways
mat are lighted solely 10y fires bulniIg
WITHIN Its ofbs of vision. Attracted by
.he fea names, it often swoops down by
,ne hunters tent, and, with strange
po"ings, ana curyiDgs, and CRAVINGS of
the head and neck, tries to peer into the
mystery that envelops the novel situa-
ton. i'u'-
How of'en," says Audubon Of the
hootowl (Sgrnium ne5ulosuml when
snugly settled under the boughs of NV
temporary encampment, and mr., nariny
W roast Venlson-steak, or the BODY of a
squirrei, on wooden spit, have I been
saiuted with the eXuIting bursts of this
mighty dlsturber of the peace that had
II not been for him, would have nre.
vailed around me, as well as in nv lone.
~ retreat! How often have seen this
nocturnal marauder alight within few
yaroS OF me, exposing his whole BODY to
Tue glare OF my fire, and eye me in such
curious manner that, had il been
rea. onable to do so, would gladly have
invited him to walk in and oin me in nv
repast, that | might have enjoyed the
pleasure of forming b.tter acouaint.
ahce with him! The liyeIiness of his
motions, Joined to their oddness. have
often made me think that his society
would De at least as agreeable as that OF
many OF the bufoons we meet with in
the world. But, as such opportunities
vi forming acquaintance have not ex-
isteu, De content, kind reader, with the
Imperfect information which j can give
you OF the habits of this Sapcho Panza
of our woods"
"a very curious habit of the owl is that
vi casting up the undigested portions of
's meals IN the form of large, rounded
PeIicts. IL is The practice of most of the
sPecies 10 swallow mice and birds, after
ny naFe piucked out the longest wing
anu .allieathers, whole; then, after the
ulgestloie parts have been consumed by
the internal organs, the bones, hair and
i are elected from the mouth in
uaIu' ury palls These may be found in
| abundance around the nests of the birds
ana the places they usually haunt. Ike
olara Peggotty's buttons, which were
| continually dropping in the track she
Travelled, these pellets serve to point ont
10 me hunter the trail of the owl.
AS all the species subsist principally
upon mice, insects and noxious vermin
Owls should be cherished by the farmer
| as useful collaborators. Yet, with that
perVerse blindness that too largely char
acterlzes humanity, the agricul urist re-
fuses to acknowledge the services of one
OF MS best friends, and persecutes the
piru with vindictive hatred. 1t is true
that some of the larger species, like the
great horned owl and PERTAINS the hoot-
owl 90 make havoc of the poultry-yard
on getting access to it, but depredations
vi thls sort are not often perpetrated,
anu When they are there is no doubt that
the farmers loss is more than made nm
ny the increase of harvest he owes to
lne faithful labors of these very same
piiiagers IN clearing his fields of mice
and moles and insects.
The plumage of the various species of
Owls Is the same in both sexes, and there
Is no variation of tints or markings with
the changing seasons or the advancing
years OF the bird. No adult owl betrays
the secret of its age or its sex by any
distinctive peculiarly in the style of its
uress. They may not be able 10 hide
from the sharp eyes of each other the
interesting circumstances of voutb or