File:Stories about birds of land and water (1874) (14564143310).jpg

Identifier: storiesaboutbird00kirb (find matches)
Title: Stories about birds of land and water
Year: 1874 (1870s)
Authors: Kirby, Mary, 1817-1893 Kirby, Elizabeth, 1823-1873
Subjects: Birds -- Juvenile literature
Publisher: Hartford (Conn.) : American Publishing Co.
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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suit of brown, his tail tipped with white,and the under part of his body w^hite, with brown spots. He and his partnermake a nest of young twigs of the trees, and line it with leaves. It is alittle the shape of a saucer. THE SNOWY OWL. The owl is one of the birds that is very rarely seen. The reason is becauseof his secluded habits and his dislike to facing the light. It must be somevery unusual circumstance that can bring him out in the day-time. A gardener was once working in a garden when he heard a very strangenoise from the top of a tree. As he was very expert, he climbed up to seewhere the noise came from, and what it was that made it. When he got halfway up the tree, two fierce white creatures dashed out and attacked him withbeak and claws, making at the same time a terrible screaming. They were, as the intruder soon found to his cost, a pair of owls taking THE OWL 43 care of their young in a nest at the top of the tree. And an owl in a passionis no pleasant object to meet with.
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THE SNOWY OWL. The man hurried down as fast as he could, but he had some difficulty inkeeping off the owls. In spite of the daylight, they darted at him again and 44 STORIES ABOUT BIRDS. again, wheeled round his head, and even pursued him, much scratched andfrightened, to the very door of his retreat. But, as a rule, the owl lies very safe and snug in his roost, and does notstir till twilight. He is a very curious bird, and we must spend a few minutesin making rather a close acquaintance with him. He is a bird of prey, for he hunts mice and rats, and even small birds ifthey chance to be about in the twilight. His fee are formed on purpose tograsp the prey. The toes are feathered ; the first toe is the shortest, and thefourth toe is longer and can be turned backwards. The claws are long andcurved, and very sharp. Do you notice the thick plumage of the owl 1 It is as fine and soft aspossible ; and when he drops from the branch of a tree to the ground, whichhe sometimes does, when he cha

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