THE OWL
When icicles hang by the wall,
And Dick the shepherd blows his nail,
And Tom bears logs into the hall,
And milk comes frozen home in pail;
When blood is nipped and ways be foul,
Then nightly sings the staring owl,
"Tu-who!
Tu-whit! tu-who!" a merry note,
While greasy Jean doth clean the pot.
—"Love's Labour's Lost," Shakespeare.
ALL ABOUT THE BARRED OR HOOT OWL
SUGGESTIONS FOR FIELD LESSONS
Notes—deep-toned, startling hoot.
Heard most frequently at nesting time.
Upper parts brown, marked with white—face gray, mottled with black, wings and tail barred with brown, eyes blue black, bill yellow, under parts buff marked with darker, legs and feet feathered, bill and claws dark, hooked, strong.
Feeds on chicken, mice, etc.
Usually take an old crow's or woodpecker's nest for their own use—rarely make nests for themselves. Nest very early in the season, young being sometimes ready to fly early in March.