Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-12-25
FUNNY FISHING,
Uncle usrry's story of How lie Learned
New May to CatCl, Owls.

Nv mere dld you Sc; the big owl,
Uncle Harry asked Tom. a~ he
loungcd into his unclc'~ room one after
noon and threw himself into i chair.
The owl referred to was large. gray
fellow, handsomely stuffed. and perchcd
above Mr. Ferris desk.
Il tishad for him. said Uncle Harry,
looking up from his work
"FiShcd for him?" repeated Tom.
staring Mt his uncle inrredulou>lv.
''Ic>: you know there are great
many ways of doing some things. and
one way of catching owls is to fish for
them said his uncle, Smilingly.
Tell me about it, pleaded Tom.
/ settling himself for n story.
We'll, said Uncle Harry, LAYING
down his pen, and turning in his chair,
Il was out cunning one afternoon down
on the east end of Long Island. Your
cousins Frank and George Ford were
with me, and we had Just seated our
/ selves under a tree for lunch. when
| George, who is an enthusiast on the
subject of natural history, happened to
! see som" pcculiarlooking balls at our
/ fee.
What are those things?' asked
| Frank, as George was poking at them
with his pen-knife
,'Prc-Adamite marbles" | suggested.
laughing.
Some new-fanglcd bug that George
is going to take home with him and let
loose in his room, !" growled Frank, who
rooms with him, and does not sympa-
/ thize with this love of natural history.
/ George kept on turning over the little
balls with the point of his knife. and
finally our curiosity got the better of
our love of fun and we both Joined in
asking:
What are they. anvway?"
/ ''OWls pellets" answered George,
laconically
What are owls pellcts?" pursued.
''Well, said George. SLOWLY. "vou
/ know that when an owl eats mouse or
! bird he takes down skin, bones and
/ all. and then after while he rolls the
i skin and homes up IN Il little ball. and
i splits them eul. Here is the skull of Il
4 mouse" lie continued holding up Il
/ delicate bit OF i bone ON the point of his
! knife.
well. aid Frank. Z" don't see any
thing very wonderful about that. y
No, answered George, quietly,
"hut these owls pellets indicat, that
there is a mes: in the lrer. We all
/ started and looked curiously up into the
/ tree; we had not got over our EoNish
love for birds-ncsting, aud an owls
nest was certainly 4 curiosity.
"Thcrc Is no nest on this tree eN-
/ claimed. after 4 careful search.
:. In the tree, not ON it, said George;
/ "vou see that hole up there. There is
/ an owl ; ncst there unless I'm much mis-
/ taken"
do owls always live in hollow
trceS?' asked Tom, interrupting his
uncIe's story.
Always" answered his uncle. ''ex-
cept the burrowing owl of the far West,
which lives in the ground with the
prairie dogs When We had decided
that an owls nest was in the hollow
tree, cont nued Uncle Harry, resum-
! inc his story, 1--WE Immediately began
to make preparations t. capture the in
mates Frank threw of his coat, and
was about to climb tie tree, when
George stopped him
Hold or" he laid, You must not
90 to work in that way, for in the first
| place, the hole is probably too deep for
you to reach. and if YOU should get your
hand down, thc owl would probably
make yCu take it out much more quick
| " than il went in.
How ar YOU going to catch them,
then" asked Frank.
: Fish for them. replied George.
How" ! inquire |.
George thought for a moment. "Of
course neither Of YOU has a ball of
worsted?" he said musingly.
NO" said Franz. sarcas,icaiiy. nor
an embroidery frame, nor u crochet
needle, not in this crowd
Because if had n bali of worstcd,
pursued George. unmindfll Of Frank,
Il would lower it into the hole, and the
natural instinct of an owl seems to be
10 first attack thing with his claws;
then, If it does not 90 away. TO turn on
his back and clutch it with his claws;
the worSted being soft. they either can
not or Will not let 20. and you can
draw them up out of their nests.
Il have on pair Of wooden stock
| ings." said Frank, pointing 10 his long
tennis stockings. why couldn't YOU
make them into ball and let them
| DOWN.
I'VE could, answered George.
Take them OIL
No sooner said than done, and, with
the aid Of bit of twinc | happened to
have in ny pocket, the strange fishing
apparatus was soon made. Better let
George fish for them, as ne seems to
understand it.. ] suggested.
After some trouble George clambered
up to the branch Just beside the hole,
and let the stocking down. He bobbed
IT up and down with no result, when a
strange whirring and clucking was
heard in the tree, and George began to
pull up the stocking. When the owl
had got nearly to the top he stopped.
He pulled one way and George pulled
the other. a.d It seemed for moment
doubtful which would gain the mastery.
Suddenly the obstruction gave away,
and George came tumbling TO the
ground. pulling after him, its claws Sc
curely fastened in the stocking, large
gray owl. l jumped toward it and
clutched il tightly before it had chance
to get away.
"Who has the owl?'' asked George,
feeling of himself 10 see that no bones
were broken.
Il have" / answered Ouch.
This latter exclamation was caused by
the owls fastening his strong bill in
M hand
.Or lie has YOU exclaimed Frank.
Swinging to my assistance In the
Struggle tine OIL was killed. and George
was inconso able, for he bad wanted TO
take him home and tame Mm.
= 4 pretty time you would have had
tanning hiTc. said J. Grossly. wrapping
nov hand in nv handkerchief
Better begin Oh ayoung one, COM
mented Franz
After examining the dead bird. and
some further talk. George decided to
try again. apd after several Intellectual
attempts 10 make the Young owls take
hold q. tl:c stocking. be succeeded in
bringing up tgo young birds almost full
Ii licdged George and Frank each
took one claiming the dead b'r1 as
nv share.
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