. Diseases and enemies of poultry . life is, I suppose,the species which was regarded as not destructive topoultry and game, by the author of the scalp act,when he introduced therein a clause exempting TheAcadian Screech or Barn Owl. From the fact, how-ever, that the decapitated heads of pheasants,* night-hawks, chickens, cuckoos, shrikes, and doubtless otherbirds, were cremated and paid for as the heads of de-structive rapacious hawks it is but reasonable to sup- * In December, 1SS6. Prof. S. F. Baird informed me that hehad received for identification from several counties in
. Diseases and enemies of poultry . life is, I suppose,the species which was regarded as not destructive topoultry and game, by the author of the scalp act,when he introduced therein a clause exempting TheAcadian Screech or Barn Owl. From the fact, how-ever, that the decapitated heads of pheasants,* night-hawks, chickens, cuckoos, shrikes, and doubtless otherbirds, were cremated and paid for as the heads of de-structive rapacious hawks it is but reasonable to sup- * In December, 1SS6. Prof. S. F. Baird informed me that hehad received for identification from several counties in the heads of pheasants, English sparrows, cuckoos,robins, a gull and other l)irds. These heads were called by theparties sending them tn Prof. Baird Hawk heads. and assuch they had been presented for the fifty-cent liDunty, whichhad b(^en i)aid. IMof. Raird also examined some Pennsyhaniawolf scalps. on which [iremiums had been given, and ascer-tained that the so-called wolf scalps had heen fashioned frompelts of the common Red m^. i| ^ \ jjf- SAW -WHET OWL. 239 [jose that our little Acadian Owl, when found by theeager scalj) hunter, was generally slain and the bountyof fifty cents given lor the beuetit of agriculture andfor the protection of game. HIDES IN ROCKY PLACES. The name Saw-whet is applied to this bird because,at times, its squeaky voice resembles the whetting ortiling of a saw. Owing to the small size of this owl,together with the fact that during the daytime it re-mains secreted in hollow trees, thick foliage or in thedark and secluded rocky retreats, it is seldom met with,hence is regarded as one of our rarest residents. Theyoung of this bird, taken in the vicinity of Philadel-phia, liave been seen by Irof. Gentry, and in E. A.►Samuels work, Our Northern and Eastern Birds, thefollowing interesting account is given by RichardChrist of a nest that he found April 25, 1867, at Naza-reth, Pennsylvania: This, the smallest of all ourowls, is also the most rare, but
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectbirds, booksubjectmam
