"I think," said Bobbie, looking over the present number of BIRDS,
"that the Owl, instead of the Red-eyed Vireo, ought to be called
'The Preacher.'"
"Why?" said his mamma, always pleased at her boy's fancy.
"Because the Owl looks so wise--and--solemn!" said Bobby.
Mamma laughed.
"He does look solemn," she agreed, "but about his wisdom I am not so
certain. Turn to the text and let us see what he does say about
himself."
"_Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo!_"
"That doesn't sound very wise," said Bobbie, reading aloud, "though Mr.
Shouter's preaching sounds like that to me sometimes."
"Does it?" replied mamma, suppressing a smile, "well, go on and see what
else he says."
"I'm not a Screech Owl, nor a Barn Owl, nor a Great Horned Owl, nor a
Long-eared Owl, though I am related to each of them. Mr. Screech Owl
thinks he is a singer, and so does Mr. Horned Owl. Between you and me,
I think both their songs most doleful ditties. One gentleman says Mr.
Horned Owl hoots in B flat, another says in F sharp, and another in A
flat. I must confess it all sounds very flat to me. I don't pretend to
sing at all. Sometimes I feel like saying something, just to hear the
sound of my own voice, and then I shout '_Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo!_' as loud
as I can. If there are little Owls in the nest, and anything approaches
them, I give a shrill, hollow cry, at the same time snapping my bill
spitefully.
"I am sometimes called the Marsh Owl, because I frequent the grassy
marshes instead of the woods. I don't confine myself to prowling around
only in the night time, like some Owls I know, but you will see me about
also on dark days, and sometimes even when the sun is shining.
"My eyes, you see, are round and yellow just like a cat's, shining in
the dark like his. Indeed there is a good deal of the cat in my nature.
When stealing on my prey I go about it just as stealthily as he does.
Like him I catch mice too, but I also like beetles, gophers, and all
sorts of little water birds.
"I have only two eyes, but I have two sets of eyelids. One I draw over
my eyes in the day time, a thin sort of curtain to keep out the light,
and the other a heavy curtain which I pull down when I go to sleep. I'm
going to sleep now. Good night! or, rather, good morning!"