Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-19

The little Screech or Notified owl is, perhaps.
the most pleasing Of all to search for, inasmuch
As . trip leads one over the pleasantest country.
while the reasonable assurance of success at
tending the days outing. lends zest not other
wise felt
How TO HUNT A sCREECH OWL
Lst NJ suppose that you are anxious to secure
one Of these little bits of feathered wisdom for
q pet, and having armed yourself with
covered basket to receive the captive elect are
ready to start out in search Of him A half
hours walk from the city in nearly any
direction will place you in the vicinity of an
old orchard. one whose trees are gnariy and
knotsed. the branches Of which are filed with
hollow, being the only ones IL will pay to
search, a. the Sereech owl almost invariably
spends the day in the hollow of some tree, and
~ old orchards contain plenty Of such and
the trees are easy to climb the capture of
specimen 10 but the question OF a careful search.
Should the first orchard prove unproductive.
try another; frequently bird spends ore day
In one and the following in the one adjoining.
You can generally tell whether an orchard Is
frsqusutsd on not BY pulling up handful Of
the debris at the bottom of the hollows into
which you thrust your hand; if 1t contains
pellets Of fur mixed with bones. &c, an owl
has been there some time. these are the
freshness will indicate about how recently the
visit was paid
n rHr srNMER-
From October to April one NAV capture
screech owls in this manner, but through the
summer months they seldom enter the holes. as
they are busy with their young and pass the day
In some thick cIump Of trees or bushes. The
writer has taken ss many - four in one day,
while the number h limited only by the num-
Der Of orchards one can visit.
TIE NEST.
II you wish to zee the nest You have only to
search thee same hollOws during the latter
part Of March and April, when either on the
bare chips or In q coarseiy constructed nest of
grass and leaves the female deposits from four
to six pure white eggs.
fHE RED AND THE oEAY.
A peculiar fact connected with this species
and ore worthy OF notice Is the two distinct
phases Of plumage presented, the red and the
gray, and which are entirely independent Of
age. sex or season In this vicinity the grays
are exceedingly rare Out OF over 800 speci-
mems that have come under the writer's notice
but four were Of this color while in other To-
ealities the reverse 10 often the case. Various
explanations of this remarkable characteristics
have been advanced. bat certain investiga tons
now being conducted at the Smithsonian fnsti-
tuition promise at least partial solution of the
mystery.
THE LoSG-fAKED OWL
Assarch for the Long-earsd owl however, 10 an
sthsr matter. Nothing shorto Of the shotgun will
place him in your possession. while to find him
you must search the densest and thickest pines.
One Of the best places is the vicinity Of Balrs
cross-roads in Virginia: here the woods are ex-
oepuonAly dense and appear to be but little
disturbed. In the spring of SO found a nest To-
Gated on the very outskirts OF patch Of pines
and PLAINLY visible from the fields quarter of
~ .ls.~. IL r4af1
had undergone some slight repairs and contained
six young owls Of various ages. Other nests
have been taken in the same locality. and it can
be recommended a. the place most promising
Of sueeesswithin short distance from the city
nrSr ron THE sHoRr-EARED OWL
II one wfshes 10 secure the last mentioned
birds cousin, the short-eared owl, an entirely
different sort Of country must be traversed To
begin vish. this l. one Of the species tina, visits
- only in the winter and Is in all respects both
summer and winter. = marsh owl; one must 60
prepared to swamp 1t over some OF the worst
ground imaginable -hat frozen mud treac her
ously gives way beneath your feet; ground that
books solid enough may at any moment plunge
you up TO your knees in icy slime and water
while, 10 crown all, just when you are about TO
give MP the hunt in disgust and are ONLY geek
Ing to reach terra arma again. the bird YOU
sch. and which is the same general color ~
that elump Of dried grass just ahead, springs
from its center. flies swiftly across the swamp
and plunges head FIRST into a thick clump Of
weeds OF PUSHES
should you continue your pursuit he will
probably riss high in the air and for some
lttis time soar about after the manner Of the
hawks, seeming to take great delight in peina
entirely out Of your reach. AL OF a sudden he
sppesrs 20 forget your pursuit OF him and calls
directly for the earth, possibly to alight in the
very same spot from which you Just started
him. The marshes bordering the Potomac are
ffsQnsnted By large numbers Of the birds every
winter. the best localities being apparently
those above and below Long bridge on the Viz.
einia side Of the river.
TEE onsAr aoaNED OWL
ne OLD aging has ii, "wsit til you catch q
weasel asiesp," &c, and with equal CORRECTNESS
n might b said, vail I'll you get Horned owl
for Of al birds dificult to approach the Gres,
Horned or Cas- owl 10 one Of the very worst
Like the L0ng-eared his haunts are the denssst
darkest woods, rom which he sallies forth Q,
night, alike terror TO the mice and menace
70 Ne hen roost Jus, about dusk his powerful
hootinn may be beard from the depths Of thu
forrest, and shortly afterwsrd one may see him
ossins piaeidiy on some dead tree near its Dor.
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