The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-02-08

side, and when n ncighbor, who Ind leen
enjoying the fun, revealed himself, the
angry man was treating the supercihus
owl that sat up aloft with some very
energetic language. ss q.
Even the Indians, fierce and savage
aud Needless Of danger as they arc, lave
wholesome fear of the great horned
who-who!' even Knowing whence It
comes. They call it's source the "Dnth
owl" Let an Indian hear it's holbw,
resOunding Gull, and at once he whistles
to it, or. il not in sight, toward the ;tlisec-
ton from whence the sound proceeds.
Then he listens in intense, GREATNESS
easerness. If the owl repeat the cry
the savage goes on his way rejoicing.
but 1t there be no answer to his whistle
the Indian bows his head in recognition,
and moves slowly away in the full belief
that he has heard his summons to a
speedy death.
No one who has heard that melancholy
Cry coming out of the stiffness of II dark
night is likely to forget it. Many tine,
in the bIyEone days Of Indian warfare,
hight been drawn forth by the he s tah ~
cry of "Who-who! Who-whow But you
must not suppose that this is all the great
horned owl is capable of in this line II
has other nocturnal solos and one of these
is an excellent imitation of the half-sulfo,
eating screams of person who is being
throttlcd. l heard. not long ago, of two
newcomers here in Florida, who bravely
rushed out into the darkness, rifle in hand
to rescue supposed victim from mur.
derous assault. They found no one. OF
course, anti were further mystified by
hearing the same distressed cries proceed
ing from the air above them. Looking up
they traced the shadowy outline of larg.
horned owl sitting on the peak of theil
house.
Their dog had rushed out with them. ani
presently the owl ruftled up it's feathers
dropped its wings and barked angrily, us
clear and true 4 bark as that which the
astonished dog sent back in return This
barking is an accomplishment that the
owl delights i'll, especially in winter nights
or when it sees 4 dog, towards which ami
NAL it shows Il decided antiquity.
The great horned owl has healthy an
petite of it's own, and dis.lains nothing
whether fish, flesh or fowl" squirrels
ducks, rabbits, rats, mice. wcasclS, chick
ens-all are eagerly captured and Dc
vOurel.
But it has one favorite tid-bit, over am
turkey. That bird, however, is wis,
one, like unto the owl itself, it is Away:
on the alert. The owl has small chanc.
to capture it. except by seeking out its
roostinS-placc and then bouncing on i
suddenly from above, before it has time
to awaken. But even so, the owl does no
always come off the victor il, this sly little
game. The wild turkey is light sleeper
and is not often caught mapping Rouse,
by the rushing wings of it's swooping foe
it often outwits the owl in 4 comical way
Down goes its head, up goes its tail. tn,
latter spreading flat over its back like E;
shield
The owl alights with swift impetus OIL
the stiff. slippery tail feathers, and take:
Il regular toboggan slide down the sharply
inclined back of its intended victim. shoot
at this turn of affairs, the turkey is off
hiding safely in the ,1ndcrbrush, and, n!
we can we'll imagine, indulging in heart,
laugh over it's crcst-fallcn foc.--Helcl
Harcourt in PHILADELPHIA Times.