Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1894-05-11
A WEATHER-w,sE BIRD.
The Owl Lays Over the Robin or A
 Other Bird as an KndicstOr.

The Owl Lays Over the Robin or Any
 Other Bird ss an IndicstOr.
 Most folks think that when robins and bluebirds and other early birds begin to come back to us from their winter homes in the south it is prima facie evidence that the backbone of winter is broken and that spring is here to stay" said Westchester coun- ty observer; "but they are apt to be very much mistaken when they depend on that for sign. The instinct of these birds is anything but infallible in that respect. A few days of mild, sunshiny weather in our latitude, even as early as February are almost cer- tain to fetch the bluebirds and robins to LIS, and they may be just as certain to suffer for it. l never pay any atten- tion to them as prophets. The hawks and owls are the birds keep my eye on.
 The hawks and owls know when we are going to have an early spring, and they will let you know it, too if you notice them at their nesting If they get to work at it along in March, no matter if the weather is bowling cold and snow deep on the ground, you may safely go on and make your arrange ments for getting in your garden crops early ill the season. The sun may be shining and warm breezes blowing in March, and the robins and bluebirds piping and chirPing cheerily, but if the hawks and owls are not at their nest ing yet, pity the robins and bluebirds, They will have hard lines before ether ial mildness is with us for good. have known the barred owl to nest as early as the 22d of February, with snow B foot deep on the ground. thought sure the wise bird was away o& in its reckoning that time and was making a fool of itself But it wasn't We had the earliest and evenest spring that year had ever known.
 In the memorable blizzard of March, 1888, l noticed another conclusive dem oastration of the correctness of the owls judgment whsa it came to read ing weather indications. The early part of that March was very much the sort of weather we have been enjoy ing thus far the present month. Not only robins and b1uebirds. but other song birds had appeared and were ex- ceedingly joyous. The barred owl is a dsnizen of the deep woods. and is the chap with the blood-curdling night whoop voice. In the woods near my place pair of these birds had for many years had their nest in a hol- low tree, and they had been my weather prophets a very long time. During these warm March days of 1888 found that these owls were not moved to begin nesting and 1 couldn't help wishing that I was able to give the song birds tip, so that they could hurry south again and escape the trou- ble that I knew must be impending. But they had faith in the sunshine, and when the sudden blizzard came bowling and whooping along 1 guess there wasn't many of them left to wonder what had struck them. During those days of terrific weather my two wise old owls lay low in their hollow tree. The first day after the blizzard, when snow was piled almost mountain high around them and there seemed no prospect of there being any spring again, they went to work getting their nest ready for the seasons matching. Although the weather turned off warm after the blizzard and spring came on in earnest, not robin or bluebird ap- peared again before April The owls knew their business; the song birds didn' t.-N. Y. Sun.