TH.CO.]B.OR Volume XlII Januar:?-February, 1911 Number 1 A HISTORY OF CERTAIN GREAT HORNED OWLS By CHARIA?S R. ICEYES WITH THIRTEEN PHOTOS Y experiences with Great Horned Owls, especially with a pair which has been under my observation for several years, have ofteli suggested a con- trast and comparison with Mr. Finley's work on the California Condor. Ill several respects our subjects and experiences show a certain broad resemblance. Both birds belong to the family of birds of prey, the one being the largest of' the North American vultures, the other the greatest of all tile owls. The Condor has passed into legend and literature as the largest bird of flight and the most grace- ful when on the wing; the Great Horned Owl occupies a place no less important ill legend and literature as the symbol of brooding wisdom and solemn mystery. In both our studies too the rare privilege was enjoyed of extending our observations over the whole home period of the bird's life, from the eggs in the nest to the young ready for their first excursion into the outside world. In most respects, however, our stories are as much in contrast as they could well be. The Condors had their home ill one of the wildest and most inaccessible of Californian mountain regions; from their liest rim tile owls could look out upon five farm houses, with their numerous outbuildings, and oue school-house, all withill a'radius of five hundred yards and all neighbors of other homesteads and school-houses set down in the very peaceful and non-mountainous state of Iowa. The Condors, in their wild environment, were tame and well-disposed from the first and grew constantly more docile as the study of their home life proceeded, proving to be, apparently, the gentlest of all the raptorial birds; the Great Horned Owls, with surroundlings that would seem to teach peace, had bad dispositions to begin with and these constantly grew worse until, after six weeks of suspense and with the longest of our claw marks still unhealed, my assistant and I.felt a sense of relief when the young owls finally took to the tree tops, leaving us with fairly whole physi-
