The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1900-05-18

name Of gray eagles is commonly applied
to the birds, and they do not attain the
plumage marks Of maturity until the
third mOulting season.
AT the top of tall trees on which the
branches grow sparsely a mass of sticks,
leaves. moss and roots seem to be dumped
promlscuously into a great pile at the in
tersection Of the highest limbs Viewed
from the top the nest presents different
aspect and the skill and patient labor
manifested in the compact mass of
crooked sticks and roots have given it
mctrical cup in which the eggs are laid
In any large area of heavy timber stu
ated somewhat remotely the birds build
and if disturbed and broken up will build
and lay again. The young remain in the
nest until they become larger than their
parents and become very fat Oh the rats,
squirrels. moles and other small rodents
Of both these species of hawk.
Occasionally raids upon the barnyarlS
have gained for them the name of hen or
chicken hawk, and the enmity of the farm
or. The red-tail is much more addict
ed to the poultry habit than it's relative,
but through their similarity Of appear
ance the chicken raisers do not discrim-
dered, which rarely approaches the pcu-
try yard. is frequently hunted down for
the misdeeds of another spices.
In the lowlands and deep, inaccessible
swamps, where the trees grow thick and
water covers the ground during the win
ter and spring. the great horned owls are
at home. They can be heard uncannily
hooting in the dark rccesses of the wood
land. Just after New Years the owls
begin looking about for building site.
In the depths Of Il convenient hollow OF
upon the old nest of crow or hawk
the. owls. after much patching to suit
their individual tastes, some time during
February. deposit their clutch of two or
three white, globular eggs.
baton at this cold season, and Instances
have been noted where during a violent
snowstcrm both the nest and incubating
bird have been covered with several
inches of snow. Many eggs are DESTROYED
by the crows, who suck them The owls
which choose the holows for their nest
ing sites escape this source of DANCE.
and 1T Is strange that more of the species
DO not utilize these natural tree cavities
| Inc young owls when Matched are
| white and resemble balls of thistledown.
Small animals, birds and reptiles are in
cluded in the bill of fare of the owls.
and their nocturnal foraging often brings
them into contact with the poultry yards.
| The barred owl is closely allied in hab-
| IT'S 10 the great horned. nesting about the
same time and under like conditions. An
! absence of the long car tufts and
round, human-like face are characteris-
tics of the species. The deep-toned.
| mlrthless laughter Of the barred owls
which inhabit the remote Swamps of the
| eastern shore makes great impression
! upon the superstitious colorcd persons
living in their vicinity and frequently
cause the woodland to be dubbed
| haunted" i'll their category of places
| they refuse to approach after nightfall.
month, many other hawks and owls
| build their nests, and by the first of
| May, when the. song birds begin to mate,
| the owls and all of the large hawks, OK
cept perhaps the fishhawk. have Matched
their offspring or are we'll under way
with the incubating process-Church
| Creek (N1d.) Special Baltimore Sun.