The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-06-06
TWO STORIES ABOUT OWLS.
The Birds Can Make Themselves
Very Unpleasant Companions.
From the Portland (Me.) Express.

From the Portland CMe.) Express.
They say all sorts of mean things about
owls. If a man hasn't much respect for
your gray matter or intelligence in gener-
al he will say you are as stupid as an
owl. On the other hand if you are brill
liant and he likes you. ii would lie just
like him to say you were as wise as an
owl And there you are. To come right
down to the subject, an OWLS not by any
manner of means the stupid bird many
people believe him to be.
Mr.. John A. Lord. taxidermist of this
city, relates a story about how he had
once gone out to look at some traps he
had set for rabbits. When he reached Lis
traps he found that rabbit had been
caught, but something had carried il off
and left no trace of its identity behind it.
That night Mr.. Lord took two or three
trans and baited them about where the
game had been stolen the night before.
A rabbit soon got ensnared, and Mr.. Lord
proceeded 10 watch it from a nearby COW
err For a long time everything was quieI,
except for the frightened rugs and irt1ps
the imprisoned rabbit made to get Tree.
Suddenly there was a whir of wings, end
like a flash of lightning a great horned
owl bounced out of the gloom down on 10
the struggling victim. He killed the rabbit
instantly and began 10 eat 1t.
In his movements he got one foot into
another trap and found that he in turn
was a prisoner. He thrashed around for
some time, when Mr., Lord and a friend
went to his release. The friend did not
know the peculiarities of the great horned
owl so well as Mr., Lord did, or he never
would have attempted TO lift the bird by
his well foota The owl wasn't feeling par
ticularly amiable and made one of its IA
nous passes a the man, fastening its pow
erful claws in the ieshy part OF ms right
hand.
There was a very animated scene for a
few moments, and about all that could be
seen was a bunch of man and owl rolling
about the ground. When the combatants
were brought to their feet again by Mr..
Lord the owl refused 10 break clean and
his claws remained firmly imbedded in
the flesh The owl had to be killed and
the tendoffs in the leg cut before the cruel
claws could be opened and withdrawn
from the mans hand. He learned some
thing about owls, however
Mr.. Lord lates how he once saw fully
nfty crows after a great horned owl They
made it so hot for him that he dropped
to the ground, where they began to dart
about HIM The owl mel ely hunched him
self up into a defensive position and let
| them play their game. lie kept so still
| that they became holder and finally one
came near. Like fash that Irresistible
right" shot out and fastened on Mr..
| Crow ,ThCre was enc dclnful squawk and
| IL was all over. The owl then deliberate
! L. pulled the dead crow apart and ate 1t
| before the scres ching Hook that was
watching him. it $ safe TO say that they
| Gid not come near enough to bother him
| after that
Right here It might be well TO state a
| little something about the manner In
which an owl strik S its prey. II you ever
noticed when owls p0unce down on theil
victims they usually stretch their legs
out in front Of them. They strike in with
their sharp claws, throwing their bodies
Forward and literally sitting down on The
| unfortunate oSjfct upon which they hay,
fastened. This gives them leverage ant
locks the sharp caws together in tho
| flesh of The victim 50 firmly that K Is i'm
! possible for them 10 let so again unit
they have STREET h'ened out their legs
| They can generally put their claw.
l through any hesh they p9unce upon,