The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1885-06-04
FUNNY FISHING.
Uncle Harry's Story of How He Learned
New Way to Catch Owls.


New Way to Catch Owls.
Where did you get the big owl,
Uncle Haryp" asked Tom, as he
lQpnged into his uncle's room one after
noon and threw himself into d chair
The owl referred to was a large, gray
fellow, handsomely stuffed, and perched
above Mr.. Ferris desk.
II fished fos him, said Uncle Harry,
looking up from his work.
'Fished for him?" repeated Tom,
staring at his uncle incredulously.
Yes; you know there are a 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 story.
'.Well,h said Uncle Harry, lavinc
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 some peculiar-looking balls at our
feet.
what are those thingsp'' asked
Frank, as George was poking at them
with his pen-knife.
''Pre-Adamite Marbles suggested,
laughing.
''Some new-fangled bug that George
is going to take home with h m 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, anyway"
Owls pellets answered George,
laconically.
What are owls pellets?" I pursued.
"Weu, said George, slowly, "you
know that when an owl eats a mouse or
bird he takes down skin, bones and
all, and then after while he rolls the
skin and bones up in a little ball, and
splits them out. Here is the skull of a
mouse" he continued, holding up a
delicate bit of bone on the point of his
knife.
Well. said Frank, "Idon't see any,
thing very wonderful about that
NO" answered George, quietly,
&C bnt these owls pellets indicate that
there is nest in the tree" We all
started and looked curiously up into the
tree; we had not got over our boyish
love for birds-nesting, and an owls
nest was certainly curiosity.
There is no nest on this tree" ex-
claimed, after careful search.
In the tree, not on it, said George;
''you see that hole up there. There is
an owls nest there unless I'm much mis-
taken"
"Do owls always live in hollow
trees?" asked Tom, interrupting his
uncle's story.
Always" answered his uncle, sex
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" continued Uncle Harry, resum-
ing his story, ''we Immediately began
to make preparations to capture the in
mates. Frank threw off his coat, and
was about to climb the tree, when
George stopped him.
"Hold on" he said, "you must not
go 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, the owl would probably
make you take it out much more quick
y than it went in.''
'How are you going to catch them,
thenp asked Frank.
Fish for them,'' replied George.
"How?" inquired.
George thought for moment. ssOf
course neither of you has a ball of
worstedp" he said musingly.
No." said Frank. sarcastically, s'nor
an embroidery frame, nor crochet
needle, not in this crowd"
Because if l had ball of worsted. -
pursued George, unmindful of Frank.
IL would lower it into the hole, and the
natural instinct of an owl seems to be
to 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 go, and you can
draw them up out of their nests"
Il have on a pair of wooden stock
ings, said Frank, pointing to his long
tennis stockings. 'Why couldn't YOU
make them into ball and let them
down?'
isWe could" answered Georpe
"STake them off. F."
No sooner said than done, and, with