Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-06-21
STORIES AsoUT OWLS.

They say all sorts of mean things
about owls. liz man hasn't much re 4
spect for your gray matter or intelli-
gence in general he will say you are as
stupid as an owl. On the other hand,
If you are brilliant and be likes you, it
would be Just like MIN to say you were
us wise as On owl. And there you are.
To come right down to the subject,
an owl is not by any manner CT means
the stupid bird many people believe
him to be.
John A. Lord, taxidermist of this
city, says the Portland Me. Expresr,
relates story about how he bad once
gone out to look at some traps he had
set for rabbits. When he reached his
TRAPS be found that rabbit had been
caught, but something had carried 1t off
and loft no trace OF Its identity behind
it, That night Mr.. Lord took two OF
three traps and baited them about
where the game had been stolen the
night before. A rabbit soon got en-
shared, and Mr.. Lord proceeded to
watch it from u nearby cover. For a
long time everything was quiet, except
for the frightened tugs and jumps the
imprisoned rabbit made to get flee
Suddenly there was q whir OF wings
and like fash OF lightning great
horned owl bounced out of the gloom
down on to the struggling victim. He
killed the rabbit instantly and began
to eat IL.
In his movements be 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 we'll as Mr..
Lord did, or be never would have at
tempted to lift the bird by his we'll
foot. The owl wasn't feeling particu-
larry amiable, and made one of its
famous passes at the man. fastening its
| powerful claws In the fleshy Fart Of his
light hand,
There was very animated scene for
| u few moments, and about all that cotld
| be seen was bunch of man and owl
| combatRnts were brought to their feet
again by Mr.. Lord the owl refused to
break clean, and his claws remained
| firmly imbedded in the flesh. The owl
had to be killed. and the tsndons in the
leg cut before. the cruel claws could be
opened and Withdrawn from the man s
hand. He learned something about
owls, however.
| Mr.. Lord relates how he cnce saw
fully so crows after great horned owl.
| They made 1t SO hot for him that he
dropped TO the ground. whore they
began to dart about him. The owl
merely hunched himself up into de-
fensive position and let them play their
game. He kept SO still that they be-
came holder, and finally one came
near. Like q fash that Irresistible
right shot out and fastened on Mr..
Grow. There was one doleful squawk,
and ii was all oveI. The owl then do
liberately pulled this dead Glow apart
and ate it before the screeching flock
that was watching him. 1t is safe to
say that they did not come near enough
to bother him after that.
Right here it might be well to state
q little something about the manner in
which an owl strikes its prey. II you
ever noticed when owls ponnce down
on their victims, they usually stretch
their legs out IN front of them. They
strike in with their sharp claws, throw
ing their bodies forward and literally
sitting down on the unfortunate object
upon which they have fastened. This
gives them leverage and locks the
sharp claws together In the flesh of the
victim, so firmly that it is impossible
for them to let 60 again until they
have straightened out their legs. They
can generally put their, claws Though
any flesh they pounee upon.