^, ,. ^ John^Pen)y Pritchett

TRANSACTION No. 53. // DECEMBER 8th/1898.

The Historical and Scientific Society
of Manitoba*

Manitoba Birds of Prey

And the Small Mammals Destroyed
by Them.

By

TVr E. Atkinson,

A Corresponding Member of fhe Society,

WINNIPEG:

THE STOVEL CO.. PRINTERS
1899.

Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2009 with funding from

Ontario Council of University Libraries

http://www.archive.org/details/manitobabirdsofpOOatki

'";"•" J

AMERICAN GOSHAWK.

{Accipiter AtiicapiUus.)

MANITOBA BIRDS OF PREY.

The Historical and Scientific Society of
Manitoba met in the City Hall, Winnipeg,
on the evening of 8th December. 18ilS.
A good audience was present to examine
the specimens of the predaceous birds of
Manitoba prepared by the lecturer of the
evening. Wm Clark, Esq., Chief Factor of
the Hudson's Bay Company, President
of the Society, took the chair. Mr. Geo.
E. Atkinson, a corresponding member of
the Society, read the following paper on
the " Birds of Prey of Manitoba :"

As Manitoba is an agricultural pro-
vince, natural or artificial conditions which
afTect the farmer become objects of inter-
est to the whole community.

The increasing numbers, and consequent
increasing destructiveness of the gophers,
mice, and in some places, rabbits, are be-
coming grave questions for the agricultur-
alist to handle.

This latter increase is what particularly
interests us in this paper and when asked
the cause, we reply, that it is largely be-
cause nature's enemies to these pests have
been ruthlessly persecuted and slaughtered.
Birds of prey have been allotted a portion
of the task of maintaining the limit of this
chiss of animals, and the removal of hawks
and owls permits of the undisturbed in-
crease of gophers and mice.

There is in the mind of the average far-
mer sportsman a prejudice in regard
to hawks and owls which is so firmly
rooted that it is impossible to eradicate
it, and if opportunity presents itself, he
will never fail to vent his spleen upon
the unfortunate hawk, and all simply be-
cause of the loss of an occasional fowl.
Yet he will pet and feed in laziness and
luxury that model of iniquity and decep-
tion^— the house cat — which will sneak
about tmder cover of darkness and pro-
tection rmd destroy more chickens and
small birds in one night than a hawk or
owl would in a lifetime. I feel satisfied
that w-ere the farmers to dispense with the
domestic cat, close up the hen coops at
night and be compelled by law to give up
their unrighteous persecution of hawks
and owls, these rodent pests would mater-
iilly diminish, as would also the poultry

losses. Such I fear will never be accom-
plished until a different system of edu-
cation is adopted among farmers and more
attention is given to economic natural
history in our schools and agricultural
colleges.

I propose in this paper to prove very
great economic values for these perse-
cuted creatures, as deduced from practical
experiences of the most prominent auth-
orities on the subject.

I regret to say that our Canadian Go-
vernments have never made an effort to
obtain practical information on these sub-
jects from our own country, and that all
cur bird laws are made by guess work.

The American Agricultural Bureau has
done much in the shape of practical in-
vestigation, and it is to their reports I
must turn for the verification of state-
ments made here to supplement my own
operiences.

The stomach records appended to each
species are from the report of Dr. A. K.
Fisher, of the U.S. Bureau of Agriculture
on Hawks and Owls, and are taken from
a total examination of some 2t)90 stomachs
collected in various parts of the United
Slates and Canada.

The birds of prey are distributed over
the whole land surface of the globe, re-
presented alike in frigid and tropical
zones. There are about ()" species in
North America. According to their var-
ied characteristics they are divided into
three groups, viz.: Cathartidae. Falconi-
dae, Stri.gidae.

1. Cathartidae— Includes the vulture.^
and kindred carrion feeding forms, which
are mostly inhabitants of tropical or semi-
tropical countries, where nature has al-
1( tted to them the position of scavengers
i or cleansers, and so thoroughly do they
! ncrform their work that they are usually
looked upon with great favor in the warm-
c" southern countries, and heavy penalties
are imposed upon anyone found destroy-
ing them, and in many places the vultures
n'ay he seen at any hour of the day soar-
I irg high in the air, keenlv alert for dead
I or dying creatures or perched upon a pro-
' minenoo awaiting the last dying struggles

of some unfortunate deer in the forest or
homeless dog by the wayside, or strug-
gling together in the gutters of the city
or town for the refuse matter left there
for them.

The construction of the birds are in
every way suited to the work they have
to do. Having acquired the fondness for
carrion they have lost most of the grasp-
ing powers in the foot possessed by the
other families of Raptores, as well as the
dash and courage which is characteristic
of all these forms which catch their prey
alive and kill it. They have, however,
acquired a verv heavy, strong foot, tarsus
and bill, the end of the latter being ex-
ceptionallv strong and sharp pointed, while
both bill' and feet are especially adapted
for tearing apart the tough skins and
other portions of the deceased creatures
they frequently feed upon. They are very
sociable, but exceedingly voracious, fre-
quently gorging themselves until they
are unable to arise from their feasting
grounds, at which times, if one is not over-
come with the very unpleasant odor
which is characteristic of the birds, they
may be captured with little or no trouble,
as they seldom show fight, and only ex-
press approval or disapproval of anything
by feints or passes and low guttural grunts
or hisses. They are possessed of excep-
tional wing area and power of flight, being
cr.e of the most remarkable soaring fami-
lies in the world. They rise from the
ground with a few lazy beats of wing and
scar of? with or against the wind, turning,
rising or falling at will without any per-
ceptible muscular exertion and are able to
continue this performance for hours with-
out a beat of the wing.

The head and neck are usually bare of
feathers and sparsely covered with short
fir.e hairs, the skin hanging in wrinkles
on the neck, like that of the turkey.

The only Manitoban, and, in fact, the
only Canadian species of this family is
the Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura), fre-
quently designated the wild turkey by
n'any intelligent persons, on account of
the resemblance of the head and foot of
the bird to that of the turkey. The Tur-
key Vulture is strictly migratory with us.
and ranges over the whole province. They
are to be found usually in the vicinity of
slaughter houses or other places where
refuse animal matter is deposited, and are
usually difficult of approach, particularly
on their first apearance in the soring.
They arrive here about the middle of
May, and breed, no doubt, in the less fre-
quented districts. The nest is placed in a
prostrate hollow log or stump, or on the
ground under hushes. The eggs are
either one or two in number and axe a

creamy white, blotched or spotted irregu-
larly with dark brown. I have in two sea-
sons received two and observed five other
specimens in the vicinity of Portage la
Prairie. They leave us some time during
September.

A peculiar habit of playing 'possum by
feigning death when wounded and cap-
tured is credited to this species by Dr.
Cones, who says, " the first is admirably
executed and frequently long protracted."

II. FALCONIDAE.

Of this family more may be said of lo-
cal interest, as we have some 17 species
locally represented, which according to
their various peculiar characters and their

Red tailed Hawk.

(Suteo borealis )

economic relations to agriculture, I pro-
pose to divide into three groups, which
shall be known as Wholly Beneficial,
Mostly Beneficial and Harmful species.
I will endeavor to point out the means
of distinguishing one group from another,
in order that the innocent may cease to
be nunished for the guilty.

In the Wholly Beneficial class I place
two species of the genus Archibueo. viz. :
A. lagopus Sancti Johannis and A. fer-
rugincus. The former is a common spe-
cies with us, the latter only an occasional
visitor from the south and west, and the
strongest proof of their beneficial quali-
ties is the fact that in all the stomachs
examined no trace could be found of poul-
try, game or small birds, while 9"2 per cent.

contained mice and other injurious main-
n-.als and insects, the other 8 per cent,
being empty.

The rough-legged Hawk is a large
winged but shall footed bird, andJ is
wholly incapable of destroying poultry or
large game, while stomachs of birds se-
cured where waterfowl were abundant re-
vealed no change from the ordinary diet
of mice and insects. It is somewhat cre-
puscular in its habits, being more on the
alert during twilight or early dawn, when
those pests which constitute its prey are
beginning to stir, and before the owls or
other hawks have begun to hunt. They
range far northward and do an immense
amount of good work in keeping in check
the numbers of injurious forms which
abound in the less settled country, and
which become a devastating plague at
times, when they reach an agricultural dis-
trict.

Sir John Richardson, in his notes,
species as follows : "In the softness and
frllness of its plumage, its feathered legs,
and its habits, this bird bears some resem-
blance to the owls. It flies low, sits
for a long time on a branch of a tree
watching for frogs and mice and is often
seen sailing over the swampy pieces of
ground and hunting its prey in the sub-
dued daylight, which illumines even the
midnight in high latitudes."

The ferruginous rough leg is a some-
what longer bird, but not much larger
footed, and in the country which it inha-
bits the gophers and ground squirrels
replace the field mouse and do immense
damage. The ferrugineous rough leg has
been named the Squirrel Hawk because
of his fondness for ground squirrels and
his persistent persecution of the rodents.

In the Mostly Beneficial Class I have
placed —

One species of the genus Falco, viz. :
F. sparverius.

Four species of the genus Buteo. viz. :
B. borealis, B. Lineatus, B. Swainsoni,

B. latissimus.

One species of the genus Circus, viz. :

C. Hudsonius.

It must be remembered here that in di-
viding these birds into the above men-
tioned groups their persecution of small
birds has been added to their destruction
to poultry and game birds, and this addi-
tion has in some cases caused species
otherwise beneficial to be placed in the
other groups, whereas were the beneficial
or injurious qualities of the birds killed
by these hawks determined, I am sure the
percentage of injury done or beneficial
forms destroyed would be in many cases
reduced one half. I have, however, made

special mention of those species and have
marked down the number of doubtful
damage separate from the decided injuries
resulting from destruction of poultry and
game. For this reason if we deduct the
number of cases where small birds were
taken from the total number of injurious
attacks made by the above five species,
we may safely include three of them in
the wholly beneficial or non-injurious
class, while the amount of injury done by
the remaining three dwindles into insig-
nificance.

Of the first-mentioned species in this
class, namely, the Sparrow Hawk. F. spar-
verius, no stronger proof of his inability
to injure poultry is necessary than to
know the size of the bird. He is one of
the handsomest of our hawks, and a true
little falcon, abundant all over the coun-
try, especially in the fall, when they may
be seen sitting on nearly every other
fence-post on the look-out for grasshop-
pers or mice. Alany farmers tell me he
steals young chickens, but an examma-
tion of stomachs of those shot about barns
and poultrv yards reveals a very different
truth, in the shape of mice, and in -rs^^
stomachs examined by Dr. Fisher, of the
U.S. .Agricultural Department, only one
stomach contained the remains of a game
bird none of poultry. lUl mice and other
mammals, while insects were found in '-44.
and in 53 cases small birds w-ere found
—a total of 74 per cent, entirely bene-
ficial, and of the i? per cent, mjurious
le'^s than one-third per cent, were injurious
to poultrv. By far the largest percentage
of the birds captured were proven to have
Wen taken while the young were being
fed and when the parents had less time
to 'seek regular food. During seasons
when grasshoppers or terrestrial caterpil-
lars or other insects are numerous, these
lird^ mav be seen in bands of considerable
numbers.' old and young alike, huntmg
about the woods and fields, and gorging
themselves on these pests. They are con-
fiding little fellows, and consequently, in
spite of their great value, are one of the
most persistentlv persecuted hawks. -Any
vandal who can handle a gun or any boy
who can use a catapult or other destroy-
ii-g instrument, can kill the little sparrow
hrwk. and in cases where bounties were
paid for birds of prey, a majority of the
certificates were issued for sparrow hawks,
and in manv places it is almost extermin-
ated where it was once exceedingly nu-
luerous.

The next species to be considered is
probabJv one of the best known and cer-
tainly the most easily recognized in our
prairie country, and especially by sports-

6

men. The Marsh Hawk, Circus Hudson-
ius, is familiar to everj' farmer who has
a slough near his place and also to every
sportsman who hunts feathered game in
our province. He is usually seen sitting
on a fence post near a slough, on some
elevation in the marsh, as the top of a
muskrat hut, or sailing about in a very
erratic fashion over the fields or marsh,
and is always readily recognized by the
broad white band across the rump. Many
of this species meet their death from sheer
wantonness and the desire to kill or prac-
tice wing shooting, while many others are
dropped by the sportsman from his cover
in the marshes because of the annoyance
caused by frightening the game, but few
are ever picked up, and fewer still are the
stomachs examined to determine the food
of the bird. Many claim that the bird
kills small ckickens, but an examination
of 12-1 stomachs shows only 7. or less than
6 per cent, containing poultry or game
birds, and as this bird, no doubt, catches
wounded ducks and other game birds
which are dying in pain, and unable to
escape, consequently the damage to poul-
try is nowhere verified by stomach exami-
nation and the assertion that it destroys
game is disproven by the fact that the
weak claws and bill of the bird will not
permit its catching or killing game birds
only when badly wounded and when they
would otherwise die from injuries receiv-
ed from the sportsman's gun. The ma-
jority of injurious records against the bird
are for small birds whose economic value
is doubtful on account of inability to de-
termine the species, and the following ex-
tracts from experiences with the bird will
show that it is unable to secure game
birds unless wounded : — •

From E. E. Thompson's " Birds of
]\Tanitoba."

Oct. S. ISSS. near Shoal lake, west, saw
a Blue Harrier trying to catch some teal
in a very small shallow pond. Each time
the harrier pounced the teal would dive
below the surface and at the same time
splash the water as high as possible. This
happened several times and at length the
baffled harrier gave up the attempt.

Sept. 9. Saw a Brown Harrier pounce
en a prairie chicken, but the latter stnie-
gled and got free and made a dash for life
with the harrier in close pursuit, but as
the chicken gained at every beat, in less
than 100 yards the hawk gave up the
chase and turned about in search of go-
phers, grasshofipers and other game more
wi'hin his roach.

These birds turn a v«ry lieht slaty blue
and almost white on the breast as they
tet older, but always have the white bTud
on the rump. The blue hawk, as this spe-

cies, from its plumage, is called, is a
much shier bird than the brown, and also
capable of more remarkable feats of wing.
They are sometimes seen careering up and
down, almost perpendicular, for a height
of from 60 to lOO feet, at the same time
lettering a harsh screeching noise as
though attacking something below them,
and they will as suddenly turn and sail
off in a lazy fashion as though nothing
had happened. This is considered an ec-
centricity of the species, which is not ac-
counted for and for which he is probably
not accountable, unless it may be for a

S^vainson's Hawk.
(Buieo Swainsom.)

show of bravado before his mate, as I
never shaw it acting thus, only in the
spring about mating time.

The four remaining species of this class
belong to one genus, and while their hab-
itats are somewhat different their habits
are similar. They are a hea\^', broad-
winged sailing and heavy bodied group,
on the whole much more suited for sit-
ting silently watching the appearance of
their prey and dropping on it rather than
in capturing it while on the wing.

The smallest of these is the Broad-
Winged Hawk, Ruteo latissimus. a bird
somewhat rare in Manitoba and which

confines itself almost entirely to the wood-
ed country, where they sit about in pairs
on the trees or stumps watching for mice,
shrews and grasshoppers, and save for oc-
casionally dropping down on a small bird
they are wholly beneficial, as out of l)<>
stomachs examined only "J, or less than
3 per cent, contained birds, none of them
poultry, while the remainder contain-
ed mice and other mammals, insects and
reptiles. This hawk is a stupid bird, al-
lowing of a near approach, and are con-
sequently shot down wherever the wan-
dering shooter chances to come upon it.

The Red-Shouldered Hawk, Buteo line-
atus. is also an inhabitant of the more
wooded country, and is, consecjuently sel-
dom met with in this part of the province,
being even more secluded in its retreat
than the broad-wing. On an examina-
tion of 220 stomachs, only 3, or about H
p€r cent., contained poultry, while about
bh per cent, had small birds, the balance
containing mice and injurious mammals,
insects, fish and reptiles. Two contained
offal, showing the species to be almost as
fond of ofifal as of poultry.

The Red-Tailed Hawk, Buteo Borealis.
is the largest of our common hawks and
is universally called the hen hawk by far-
mers. It frequents the vicinity of woods
or fresh clearings, w^here it sits upon a
branch of stump diligently watching for
mice and shrews, which are so common
about old stumps and logs in such places.

Occasionally, should one of these spots
be near the house or the farmyard, and the
poultry stray in that direction, he will steal
a hen, but it is usually the old and en-
feebled veterans who are not quick
enough to escape his awkward pounce.
Even the proportion of such cases
amounts to about 10 per cent, of the 562
stomachs examined, consequently like his
brother Buteo, were it not for the small
birds he drops on occasionally he might
be placed in the beneficial class.

The remaining number of the mainly
beneficial class is possibly the most com-
monly known of our large hawks, and is
also familiarly dubbed the "Hen-hawk"'
(Buteo Swainsoni). It is doubtful, how-
ever, if Swainson's hawk would ever chase
a chicken past a gopher, or could catch
good healthy poultry or small birds. .\s in
the case of his brother borealis, it usually
happens to be the old rheumatic strayim;
fowl that he catches and which are not
worth much more than the cost of the
powder and shot to shoot the hawk.

The usual position for this bird is bolt
upright on a hummock of earth or the
hill thrown up by a gopher or badger.
Here it will sit for hours scanning the
field, and woe to the gopher or motiso

who will stray from home when Swain-
soni is on the alert. He usually only
makes one or two sudden pounces and
rises with the animal in his claws, carry-
ing it either to his young or alighting on
a prominence to devour it himself. It is
estimated that a Swainson hawk would
catch and eat at least five gophers a day.
and where one pair are at work they would
destroy ten gophers a day for their own
food, and at least as many more while
feeding the young for about three weeks.
At this rate they would feed the young 210
gophers in the three weeks, and during the
six months, at least, that these birds are
with us they would destroy a great num-
ber of these pests.

If the amount of grain eaten by gophers
be taken into account it will be seen what
a friend to the farmer Buteo Swainsoni is.
Should not this be more than sufficient to
place protection on this hawk? Yet he is
a robber and a hen-hawk. If we give each
bird one hen a week while with us, which.
I am satisfied, is double the average taken
ynywhere by these birds, the value of the
poultry thus stolen is. at a liberal estimate,
of 25c. a head, for each pair of hawks.
$13.50 for the entire season, thus leaving a
cash balance to their credit of ten times
that amount at the end of the season.

Of this species Dr. Coues speaks in his
■■ Birds of the Northwest." observations
of 1883:

" The quarry of Swainson's Buzzard is
of a very humble origin. I never saw one
stoop upon a wild fowl or grouse, and
though they often strike down rabbits, like
the red-tails, their prey is usually nothing
larger than gophers. Though really strong
and sufficiently fierce birds, they lack the
snap of file falcons, and I scarcely think
they are quick enough to catch little birds
very often. I once saw one make the at-
tempt at a lark-bunting. The hawk
noised in the air about twenty yards for
fully a minute, fell heavily with an awk-
ward thrust of its talons and missed its
prey. The little bird slipped off between
its feet, badlv scared, no doubt, but still
uninjured, while the enemy flapped awav
sulkily to orowl about a gopher hole for
his dinner, or take pot luck at grasshop-
pers."

H.^RMFin. H.\\VKS.

Now '.hat we have reached the group
which may b" considered harmful rmd for
whose depredations the majority of hawks
-md owls suffer, as did the chddren of
Israel for the sins of one familv. it will be
necessary to show to what extent they arf

injurious. In this group I include tlie re-
rr.aining Alanitoban hawks.

Two species of the j f. Columbarius

Genus Falco : \ f. Peregrinus auatum

^, r ., ( ^- Atricapillus

Three species of the J ^ Velox

Genus Accipiter

[l

Cooperi
and the bald and golden eagles.

The eagles are harmful to young stock,
especially lambs, and also to the young of
our larger gan^e, many cases being cited
where deer have been attacked and slain
by these tiying lions. But, fortunately,
neither species are sufficiently numerous in
our province to do any material damage to
agricultural or sporting interests. I have
certainly heard of no complaints, and feel
sure there is no cause for anxiety in their
regard, although I would not be in favor of
protecting them, save to prevent smaller
hawks from being slaughtered, as they
frequently are, for eagles.

In the first mentioned genus falco we
have two species considered harmful. These
are both true falcons, and there is so much
to be admired in their bold and unerring
dash, as, true to the etiquette of the falcon,
they eat nothing dead and capture their i
prey while on the wing. One redeeming
feature, however, is that in these two
species the pigeon hawk is too small to
carry off much poultry, and the Peregrine
falcon or duck hawk is not sufficiently
numerous to do any serious damage to
poultry, preferring to follow the wake of
the migrating water fowl, which it will not
hesitate to seize and dash off with from
under the very hand of the sportsniian, al-
most before the smoke or report of the
gun has died off. I have frequently
watched the pigeon hawk capture small
birds flying at a rapid rate at all times.
He gets close to them before being observ-
ed, when, before the bird or mouse can
recover from the surprise, the hawk has,
with a lightning dash, seized the terrified
creature and carries it off. In fifty-one full
stomachs examined only two. or about four
per cent, contained poultry or game, while
eighteen, or 35 per cent., contained mice
and insects, the balance containing small
birds, thus showing the birds to be more
beneficial to agriculture than injurious to
poultry.

The many cases of small-bird capture
by this species may be accounted for by
his particular fondness for blackbirds, in
the fall, as he follows them persistently at
the very time when they are destroying the
grain. Should it be proven that such is
the case (and we have no positive proof
that it is not), "the little corporal," as it
is called by some, is deserving of our re-

spect and gratitude, with the earnest wish
that he and his assistant species may in-
crease their persecution of these increas-
ing pests.

Referring to the species in " Birds of
Ontario," Mr. Mcllwraith says: " The little
corporal takes his tribute from the large
flocks of blackbirds without much cere-
mony. I once saw him " stoop " on a flock
as they hurried to shelter in the marsh.
How closely they huddled together, as
though seeking mutual protection, but he
went right through the flock and came out
on the other side with one in each fist."

Great Homed Owl.

(Bubo I'irginianus.)

In the case of the Peregrine, twenty
stomachs examined showed seven to con-
lain poultry and game, chiefly game, as the
bird is seldom seen about the farm, while
nine contained other bird remains, show-
ing it to be most destructive to game and
neutral to poultry, on account of its habitat.

The three remaining species, the gos-
hawk. Coopers and sharpshinned hawks,
may be credited with doing more damage
to poultry than all other species combined.
They are, however, like most successful
rogues, in that it is extremely difficult to
catch them in the act, as they are among
us and away with a fowl from under our
feet almost before we are aware of any-
thing going on.

While the falcons capture their prey by
superior flight across the country, the
accipitrines, although str(jng tiyers. capture
the most of their prey by short, rapid
dashes, or by sharp and skilful turns upon
it. cutting otf opportunities of escape, and
more frequently capturing the victim be-
fore the presence of danger is suspected.

The largest and most powerful of these
three is the goshawk. Accipitcr atricapillus,
which is commonest with us during the fall
and winter months, when those which
build with us are reinforced by large mi-
grations from the north, and they may be
found about the woods, where they hunt
rabbits and grouse with the greatest per-
sistency, so that in many places it is known
as the partridge hawk. They do not reach
the full state of blue plumage till the fourth
or fifth year, and the older birds also seem
to have much more courage and agility
than the younger birds. I have seen one
of these birds dash upon a rabbit in the
woods, kill it with a blow and fly off with
it almost before I had time to realize what
was taking place or could raise the gun to
fire. When wounded they are exceedingly
fierce, and will s«ize dog or man with their
powerful claws without any hesitation, in-
flicting very disagreeable wounds.

The record of stomachs shows in twenty
full stomachs ten contained mammals,
chiefly rabbits, while the remaining ten
contained poultry and game and small
birds, thus showing the species as a whole
to be equally beneficial and injurious. As
in many cases, the hare (Lepus Amcri-
cauus) becomes a nuisance to growing
trees, and as many of these stomachs show
the game birds are their prey, and as the
goshawk remains either in or near the bush
most of the time, his beneficial qualities
overbalance the injurious, save where the
poultry yard is in close pro.ximity to the
bush.

The acknowledge poultry thief-in-chief
of the hawks is Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter
Cooperini.) Somewhat smaller than the
goshawk, it lacks none of its dash, and is
a close second to the falcons in speed of
flight, as well as being strong enough to
carry ofT full-grown chickens, grouse and
rabbits. These hawks are clever, shrewd
and cunning, soon learning the ways of
man, and usually pay repeated visits to the
poultry yard, coming unobserved and es-
caping with a sudden dash (and a hen)
before the surprised owner, who may have
been on the lookout, has time to turn and
grasp his gun. In cities, where the use of
firearms is prohibited, this bird has learned
to lurk among the evergreens in private
grounds, whence it dashes out into the
thoroughfare upon the unsuspecting spar-

rows and pigeons. Of this species Dr.
Fisher says :

" If they confined their persecution to the
pesky little sparrow, they would be public
benefactors, as the problem of keeping
that imported nuisance in check would
then be solved."

The stomach records show in 84 full
stomachs. 34, or about 36 per cent., poul-
try, 16 per cent, mice, mammals and in-
sects, and the balance other birds of doubt-
ful economic value — not a terrible record
for the most injurious species.

The last of the hawks we have to deal
with is almost a twin brother of Cooper's
hawk, and so near does it approach it in
size that it is at times difficult to determine
a small Cooper's hawk from a large sharp-
shinned, unless one has a sight of the
rounded tail of the former species.

The sharp-shinned hawk (Accipiter
velox) is a well-known species of our
small hawks, and may be seen during the
spring and fall perched upon a telegraph
or fence post or sailing about over the
woods and fields in search of prey, the long
square based tail serving always as a mark
of identifiation. They are bold, daring little
fellows, and do not hesitate to attack birds
much larger than themselves. They are
fond of the vicinity of man and do good
service about settlements in persecuting
the English sparrows. The large majority
of the bad records against them is on ac-
count of their raids upon small birds, in
cases the economic values of the species
is doubtful, and I am certain that in the
fall this species does good service in per-
secuting the blackbirds, which are so num-
erous in the province, and this at a time
when the blackbirds are destroying grain.
The table of stonvich examinations show
Accipitcr vclox to be ver>- slightly injur-
ious to poultry, as in 107 full stomachs
only six showed signs of poultry or game
birds (less than 6 per cent), while eleven
contained mice and insects, the remainder
small birds ; so that if English sparrows
and blackbirds could be proven to form the
preference in these cases, Accipitcr rclox
might be considered a mostly beneficial
species, instead of harmful.

F.\MTLV STRITiIDAE.

The owls, for several reasons, are a very
interesting and peculiar family of birds.
They are chiefly nocturnal, continuing
through the hours of darkness the persecu-
tion carried on upon our small animal pests
by the hawks in the daytime. But. though
they work under shadow of darkness, they
do not escape the persecution which big-
oted prejudice and a little knowledge are
pleased to inflict upon all birds of prey.

10

The eyes are set in sockets facing for-
ward, which prevents the bird from mov-
ing them vifithout turning the head. This,
combined with the facial disks, give it a
solemn and dignified expression and a
human resemblance, which is at times
weird and awe-inspiring, while their almost
human voices add much to the superstitious
regard in which they are frequently held.
The fact of their hunting chiefly by night
has given many the idea that they cannot
see by day.

They seize their prey in their talons, and,
where size will permit, swallow it whole.
The plumage is soft and tluffy, enabling
them to withstand extreme temperatures
at times, and the very soft plumage under
the wings and on the body surface makes
its progress perfectly noiseless, thus per-
niitting its close approach upon its prey
before the danger is realized.

I do not propose to go to either extreme
in classifying the owls, but place them all
in the mostly beneficial class, as all have
records of occasionally capturing a small
bird, while the one species which is con-
sidered injurious more than compensates
for the injury by the number of injurious
mammals destroyed, and I am confident
that were the poultry properly penned up
at night, it would effectually prevent any
erratic invasions from the owls.

Of the twenty known North American
species, eleven may be recorded as regu-
larly Manitoban; some few are migratory,
but the majority, especially those inhabit-
ating the deeper woods, remain with us all
the year. One of the chief causes of mi-
gration among the owls is the amount of
snow, which at times cover the food up so
completely in their retreats that the birds
are forced to seek it in other quarters.
This is the reason why owls of different
species are much more numerous some sea-
sons than others.

The eggs of all owls are uniformly white
and considerably rounded. In the genus
Bubo we have two forms, which are
considered distinct species, although a
microscope is almost necessary in order to
locate the line of separation.

Of the great horned owl Bubo J'ir-
giiiianus Siibarticus is the common form,
while Bubo J'irgiiiiaiius artU'us is a light-
er, and possibly smaller, variety, with a
somewhat more northern range. As some
five varieties of Bubo Virginianus are
known to exist, and as all these varieties
interbreed where opportunity arises, it
takes an expert to search out the pedigree
of a horned owl and locate the species or
variety. If the locality of collection is not
known, it may be anv of the five.

They arc called the feathered tigers by
many ornithologists, and certainly their

untamable ferocity is deserving of the
name. They are bold and unexcitable,
c jmparatively easy of approach, and when
wounded present a defence worthy of any
ar.imal twice their size.

They are the largest and most powerful
of the owls, and are credited with doing
the greatest damvage to poultry and game ;
they will pay repeated visits to the hen
roost where access can be gained.and carry
off the largest size fowls. Owls will also
capture the grouse and partridge and are
of great service in exterminating the rab-
bits where these animals are numerous.
The attacks on the grouse and poultry are
made chiefly during the winter, when other
food is covered up and when any half-
human poulterer would have all crevices
small enough for an owl to look through,

Burrowing Owl.

{Speotyto cuniculatia hypogaea.)

nuich less fly through, closed up to keep
out frost and snow. Were there no owls
to carry them off in cases of this kind
more poultry would be thrown out, crippled
and killed by frosts than the owls eat. I
have kept many of these birds alive, and
they always prefer rabbits, rats or mice
to birds, and an owl can be kept in a more
healthy condition with an occasional rabbit
than with birds. The record for this bird
shows than in no full stomachs examined.
80. or over 72 per cent., contained mice,
injurious mammals and insects. Of the
remainder, eight contained small birds,
leaving only 20 per cent, injurious, and
these to be divided among game and poul-
trv. Shut up the poultry at night and cut
off 10 pei" cent., which the owl will make
on rabbits.

Second only to the horned owl in size is
the snowy owl (Nycfca uyctca). which is
a regular winter resident in greater or less

11

numbers, corresponding to the amount of
snow to be found north of us. They fre-
quent the stacks and (nithouscs about the
farm, and often remain for days about the
one locahty, unless shot down by the farri-
er, who immediately concludes liiat the
owl must die because he is on the barn or
stack, without any consideration as to what
he is there for. I will not go extensively
into this species, as I have already in two
papers dealt with its economic value,
simply quoting figures from the last article,
which appeared in a recent issue of The
Nor'']\'cst Fanner.

In the season of 1896-7, I received .sonic
70 snowy and 20 horned owls.. The stom-
achs of the former failed to reveal the trace
of poultry, but contained from four to ten
mice, the result of the previous uiglit"s
hunt about the stacks and barns, where
they wer killed. From this revelation rnd
the result of an experiment vith living
specimens, it will be seen that the birds re-
quired at least seven mice or their equal in
other flesh daily to keep them in good con-
dition. The first birds were received about
November 15 and the last about March 15.
so that in 120 days they would have fed, if
not disturbed, in the locality, and in which
time they would have consumed over 840
mice each.

The amount of grain destroyed by mice
is so great that the service rendered by the
owls in their destruction will be readily
seen. Dr. Fisher's record of stomachs
of this species shows two in 29 full stom-
achs (7 per cent.) contained poultry or
game, while 20 contained mice and other
mammals, the balance other small birds.

This is one of the few species of owls
which hunts by day as well as by night, but
it is always most active at twilight and
early dawn.

Syrniiiin iicbulosuiu. the Barred Owl.
com.es next in size, but it is considered
rare in Manitoba. I have never secured
it, and have only seen one specimen in two
and a half years. They frequent the deep-
er woods, seldom showing themselves in
daylight. Regarding the defective vision
of this species. Atuhtbon speaks of seeing
one alight on the back of a cow, which it
left so htiriedly on a movement of the ani-
mal, as to show it had mistaken it for a
more stationary perch. Another record is
made of a collector having one alight sud-
denly upon the barrel of his gun. which it
left as sud'^'enly. but not soon enough to
save its life. This is authenticated by
Mr. Girard, in his "Birds of Long Island."

The stomach record of the species show's
that in 8q full stomachs five contained
poultry or game and 13 other birds, while
all co-na'ned r'>mains of mice, injurious
mammals, reptiles and insects.

This owl IS usually resident wherever
found.

L'lula cincrca (Gnicl.) The great gray
owl is at first appearances a large and ier-
ocious bird, but upon examination is found
to be nearly all feathers, the body and limbs
being much smaller than the barred owl.
It is the most northern of any in its range,
and inhabits the wooded countries, and is
nowhere common, save in seasons when
the great amount of snow and ice in its
compels it to move south in search of food,
which consists almost entirely of mice and
small mammals. In nine stomachs exam-
ined only one contained trace of feathers,
while all had mice or other mammals. This
certainly proves the great gray owl as the
most beneficial of his class, but his small
numbers render his services less effective
than many commoner species.

Asia Wilsonianus. The Long-Eared
Owl and the Short-Eared Owl (Asia acci-
pitrinns) are two species of much the same
size, the former inhabiting the bush and
small bluffs, while the latter lives in the
open marshes and fields. Both are quiet
and inoffensive birds and are constant en-
emies of the mice and other small mam-
mals. The long-eared species is the more
nocturnal of the two, while neither species
are wild and permit of a close approach,
making them excellent targets for the ruth-
less sportsman out to kill. The record for
]]'ilsonianus is in 92 full stomachs 90 con-
tained remains of mice and other mammals,
insects, etc., while only one revealed a
trace of a game bird and IS contained
traces of other birds.

The short-eared owl hunts frequently by
day. and during migrations they move
about in flocks in the twilight in search of
prey. This bird is frequently dropped by
the wanton sportsman for practice as it
rises suddenly in front of him in the field
or marsh, and is usually left to rot or die
from wounds.

Their stomach record shows in 87 full
stomach all contained mice, small mam-
mals or insects, and only 11 showed any
trace of small birds, thus proving him ex-
ceedingly beneficial.

Surina ulula caparoch. (Th-e Hawk
Owl) is a winter visitant with us. and
while here hunts during the day as much
as by night, much more so than any of the
owls from which characteristic it derives
its name. While with us it feeds unon
mice and small manunals almost entirely,
with an occasional small bird, but as I have
no stomach records, I can say nothing more
than that all cases which have come under
my notice have proven the bird to be en-
tirelv beneficial. In the vicinitv of the
Ridine: Mountains the bird is very numer-
ous during the winter. It never moves

12

farther south, except when compelled to
on account of snow and ice.

We now come to the two smallest species
of owls found in Manitoba.

Richardson's Owl {Xyctala icngmalmi
Richardsoni ) , and the Saw Whet Owl
(Nyctala Acadica.)

Both these birds are resident practically
wherever found, Richardson's owl being
possibly the most secluded of the two. Both
are nocturnal, and in daylight, with slight
precaution, may be caught in the hands. I
have found mice an absolute necessity to
keep them alive, consequently these must
form the greater portion of their diet..
Certainly neither of them are large or fer-
ocious enough to do much damage to poul-
try. The records for the Saw Whet Owl
are in 19 full stomachs, one contained a
small bird's remains, 17 mice and one in-
sect,

Lastly, I refer to a species not previously
recorded for Manitoba, but which is now
becoming numerous in many localities,
namely, the Burrowing Owl {Spcotyto
cunicularia hypogaea) , of which we have all
heard more or less in connection with his
supposed association with the prairie dogs
and rattlesnakes. The truth of this is that
the little owl drives out the gophers and
prairie dogs and appropriates the burrow
for his own home, and the finding of the
rattlesnakes in the same locality is no proof
of their living with the owls. Dr.
Coues, who first upset the story of the
harmonious association of the three forms,
says the owl is a match for both old prairie
dogs and rattlesnakes, living largely upon
the young dogs. They are peculiar look-
ing little birds, with their long, slender
featherless legs, so different from all other
owls, which makes them look somewhat
top-heavy. Capt. Bendire, in his life his-
tories, relates an experience in feeding two
specimens in captivity, in which the owls
killed with ease, and devoured with equal
ease, four Townsend's ground squirrels,
animals considerably larger than the birds,
in one day. Every day of their captivitv
they eat more than their own weight, which
will give a slight idea of what a growing
brood will require, and as the food is al-
most entirely vermin, they are extremely
beneficial agents and deserving of the full-
est protection. Their advent into Mani-
toba can therefore be looked upon with
favor, more especially on account of their
fondness for gophers, and among them the
pocket gopher, which tunnels so much un-
der ground, heaving up heaps of earth and
doing great injury to growing crops. This
animal works mostly at night, nnd th-^ bur-
rowing owl is the best adapted species to
act as constable and intercept him at his

work, arrest him, judge and condemn, and
finally dispose of him to the owl's satisfac-
tion.

COx\XLUSIONS.

Having collected together the foregoing
facts relative to the economic relations of
me individual species of the birds of prey,
let us now briefiy review them, and see
what conclusions may be drawn from them.
In the hrst place, we have three species
proven absolutely beneficial, with no re-
cords of destruction of either poultry or
game birds.

In the second group we have six hawks
and eleven owls, mostly beneficial, which
average only 16 1-3 per cent, injurious, and
from this small percentage we must deduct
12 per cent, for the small birds taken,
whose economic value is doubtful, because
we have no knowledge of the species, which
leaves a grand total of 4 1-3 per cent, of 17
convnon species of birds of prey injurious
to poultry and game combined, while the
remaining 82 z-t, per cent, are entirely ben-
eficial in their destruction of agricultural
enemies. Is it justice to slaughter 84 in-
nocent birds because four in the hundred
fancy poultry or game? On the contrary,
it is very unjust, and themore so when we
consider that these 84 innocents have been
diligently working in our interests and
yearly saving us many times the value of
all the poultry we own.

Reviewing the records of the harmful
group, what do we find ? Five species are
credited with doing the damage for which
the other 2^, species suffer. The question
now is, what is the injury they do? The
average injury of these amounts to only
25 per cent, to poultry and game, while an
equal percentage is proven to be beneficial,
the remaining 50 per centage being de-
structive to smaller birds. Now, it has
been shown that the Peregrine falcon sel-
dom visits the farm-yard, but follows the
game, which will greatly reduce his injur-
ious effects upon poultry. It has also been
shown that the three species most injur-
ious to small birds are most so to two pests,
the English sparrow and the blackbird, and
for this reason we can reduce their injur-
ious qualities in this respect at least one-
half. Consequently, we have at least 50
per cent, of the most harmful hawks direct-
ly beneficial to agricultural interests, while
only 25 per cent, are injurious to poultry
and game combined, and the remaining 2-,
per cent, to birds of doubtful economic
value.

From these conclusions. I think it only
justice to the interests of our country that
the birds of prey should be included in the
.\ct for the protection of birds beneficial to
agricv.lture.

13

Now, in order that the observer may be
al)le to dctennine the most injurious species
from the harmless and Ijcnlicial, I shall
again refer to their different character-
istics.

When a hawk is observed beating stead-
ily back and forth, sailing and dodging
about theprairie or marsh, or sulkily and
indolently perched upon a post, branch or
clod of earth, usuually disregarding the
approaching team or pedestrian on the
highway, it may safely be concluded that
this is not a thief and that he seems to
realize it, and is therefore undisturbed by
approach. And should one be observed
about the farm-yard perched on the stack,
barn or fence-post, even though poultry
are about, he will not bother them, for he
is after nxice. But should a hawk be ob-
served bearing down upon the place at an
unusual rate of speed, never altering its
course, and dashing among the startled
fowl, you may know it is a thief, and must

l)e ready for him before he arrives, in order
to frighten him off or get a shot at him as
he whirls behind the barn or stack with a
hen. Should you not be fortunate enough
to see him coming, and suddenly see the
streak of feathers flash past and hear a dis-
turbance among the fowl, if you are not
very sharp you will not even see him
dodge off with the fowl and will not realize
what has happened until you count your
poultry, as when this bird makes the fatal
swoop, nothing but death can stop his at-
tack, and an army of musketry and dogs
could not make noise enough to disturb
him. Consequently, it is only on chance
occasions that an opportunity is given to
punish the culprit, unless, after repeated
visits, a watch is kept for the approach, a
quick shot is made and the thief dropped,
and this invariably results in the loss of
more time than the value of the poultry
taken.

SMALL MAMMALS OF MANITOBA DESTROYED
BY BIRDS OF PREY.

The small mammals which constitute the
greater portion of the bill of fare of the
birds of pre3^ and those most destructive
to agricultural interests, are mice and
gophers. Of the former group there are,
besides the domestic mouse, three species
which may be considered common, and
whose ravages are worthy of attention.
Chief among these in numbers and de-
structiveness is the common field mouse
(Arvicola ripariiis). This chunky, short-
tailed, unintelligent-looking little animal is
familiar to nearly everyone, being of wide
distribution in our province, and it will
always be found in greater or less numbers
wherever there is a grain field or granary.
The field mice nest below the ground in the
fields, so that they are constantly in the
midst of abundance of food with a mini-
mum of exposure to enemies. They are
exceedingly prolific, and it is estimated
that the increase under favorable circum-
stances from one pair of mice would be
over 14,000 mice in five years, if we allow
each pair to breed for two years, as each
pair will raise at least ten young each year.
The numbers of these animals in a given
district would seem almost incredible to
the majority of people, as the animals are
n>ostIy nocturnal, and, unless disturbed by
daylight, they never move from their hid-
ing place, and when disturbed they readily
hide behind any cover available. On ac-
count of the favorable protective grey color

of the animal, they generally escape obser-
vation, unless one is especially looking for
them. On one occasion, in September,
1897, I was desirous of securing some of
these mice. I visited a field where thresh-
ing was in operation, and, with two boys. I
followed the stook teams about, and in less
than one acre of ground captured sixty
specimens, and during this time as many
more escaped uncaptured or were killed
and eaten by a dog in attendance. The
boys subsequently visited the same field for
the sport of killing the animals, and inform
me that my catch was only an average to
be found over the whole section. This
would mean, allowing two-thirds the num-
ber captured to have escaped. 100 mice per
acre, or 64.000 mice on that section. Now.
as by experiment I proved that 50 mice
would destroy one pint of grain daily, and
as this grain was standing stooked for
about three weeks before threshing, these
nnimals wniild have consumed large quan-
tities of grain. At this rate a few pairs of
mice wintering in a stack or granary would
be very damaging to the farmer m one
season. This is the species which most
frequently falls a prey to the rough-legged
hawk during twilight or to the owls whick
hunt by night. A pair of owls or hawks
about a grain stack during the harvest will
do much towards the extermination of
these pests. Seeming to know their own
powers of hiding, they are very bold and

14

unexciiable, and once, in hiding are not
easily dislodged as other more excitable
species would be. As they are so seldom
seen, and as the grain yield is always specu-
lative, their destructiveness is not apparent,
save in a granary, where the quantity of
grain is known ; but, if any farmer takes
the trouble to look into the matter himself,
he will not be long in securing convicting
evidence of the strongest character against
this pest and ample evidence in favor of
the protection of their destroyers — the
hawks and owls.

Of the second species, the red-backed
mouse (Arz'icola Gappcri) or Capper's
mouse, no special mention is necessary, be-
yond the description of the animal, which

depth along the fence hues, roadways and
uncultivated fields, and although they sel-
dom burrow in the grain fields, they pay
them regular visits both to feed upon and
carry off large quantities in their cheek
pouches to be stored away in their bur-
rows. The damage done by these rodents
is, as in the case of the mice, not appar-
ent, or at least, not credited generally to
the agency of these animals, but if we es-
timate one pint of grain daily to each ten
gophers, and with this number of animals
along each fence line of a grain field, it
would mean two quarts of grain daily de-
stroyed. This amounts to almost two
bushels of grain in a month taken bv these
forty animals, and tliis in the spring dur-

vV

Common Striped Gopher. {SpermophUus tridecimlinealus.)

is, if anything, a trifle smaller than rip-
arius, and the whole back is reddish-
brown. It is foimd usually in company
with the field mouse, and their habits are
about identical, save the gappcri may be
more numerous in the vicinity of fresh
clearings, but it is never as numerous as
the better known species.

The notoriety of the ground squirrels or
Spcrinnpliilcs, is far more general among
agriculturists than that of the mice, to
which animals they are second only in num-
bers. Being much larger animals, their
destructive qualities, which are enormous,
would prove the ruination of the country
were they as numerous as mice. They
construct burrows of great length and

ing .seeding would mean a great drain upon
the fall yield. Taking the annual increase
of these animals to average five young
pair, we would find loo young gophers to
cut down the growing grain through the
summer and 140 gophers to attack the
ripening and standing crop in the fall, and
it would require nearly two bushels per
week at the foregoing rate to feed this
number of animals. I have placed the
average at 40 gophers per field, which I
consider a very small average, as in some
larger fields this number can frequently be
found upon one side of the field. When
undisturbed for a time these animals be-
come quite bold and unconcerned, and
complaints have been made that the larger

15

species will at times seize upon young
chickens and carry them off. Certain it
is that they are fond of flesh, as they will
kill and eat birds while in captivity, and for
this reason I believe they do much destruc-
tion among our smaller ground-nesting
birds. They are. however, credited with
destroying quantities of injurious insects,
chiefly in the larval form, but any bene-
ficial qualities in this regard are quite off-
set by their destructiveness. It is there-
fore plain that agriculturists are very un-
wise to destroy the hawks which prey upon
these pests and leave them to increase and
continue their depredations unchecked.

The most generally known spermophile
of the three species inhabiting the western

of wood, a small clump of grass of a fence-
post, which usually conceals the entrance
to the burrow. As this species frequents
the grain fields and more open groimd, it
is the usual prey to the large hawks, which
may be seen beating up and down the
fields, and these hawks know that when a
gopher disappears into his burrow he is
full of curiosity and will soon come out
again to see what frightened him. 'i lie
hawk, by remaining motionless at the edge
of the hole, is able to crasp the animal sud-
denly upon his reappearance, if he is not
meanwhile shot as a chicken thief.

Of the two remaining species, Franklin's
spermophile {Spennophilus Frankliiii) ,
gray gopher, gray squirrel or brush gopher.

Gray Gopher. (Spermoplnlus FfaukUm.

prairies, and certainly the most generally
destructive to gram crops, is the striped
spermophile. Spermophilus tridecim-

lineatus, nxjre familiarly known as the
striped gopher. This species ranges from
the Red river valley across the province,
and from the U. S. to latitude 53 deg. n.
It is possibly most common in the district
east of the gravel ridges and hills, and can
be seen along every roadside and in almost
every hold in greater or loss numbers.
Scurrying along in a mouse-like fashion to
the entrance to its burrow, where it ele-
vates iiself upon its hind legs and remains
motionless as a stake until approached too
closely, when, with a slirill whistle or
trill, it disappears apparently into a block

as it is also called, is a much larger species
than the striped spermophile, but is not
generally so numerous and is destruciive
according to its nunibers. The gray
gophers range the entire fertile belt of the
prairie country from the Northern States
to Carlton House on the S:.skatcnewpii
river. They prefer the vicinity of rai>k
herbage or brush, and their food is more
of a wild nature, unless they happen to be
in the vicinity of a grain field. At such
times thej' can do great damage, if tcr.iid
in any numbers. This species will n'ct
frequently fall a prey to the red-tailed hawk
and kindred species which sit about tl.ese
brushy localities alert for straying roderts.
and also to tiie diurnal liunting owls.

16

whose noiseless flight allows of an unsus-
pected approach. They are a much more
awkward animal in motion than the striped
gopher, and are, therefore, more easily
captured. If they are once exterr.unated
in a locality they do not return lor some
time, as their rate of increase ia nut so
rapid as that of the other species. 1 !iis
species is distinguished from the Siiccoed-
ing by the long bushy tail and unifoim
gray color.

The remaining species is Richardson's
spermophile (Speriiiophihts Ricliardsoni)
a shorter-tailed species than Fraiiklini. and
the tail is not nearly so bushy. Its range
in the more gravelly and hilly portion of
the province from Dakota north to Carlton
House on the Saskatchewan river and west
of a line drawn through Carberry and
Petrel. It resembles the prairie dog,
(Cynomy's ludovicianns) in both form and
color. It is abundant in fields and frcbh
clearings, and even in populous districts in
many places is exceedingly numerous.
Many western farmers, who do not know
the Franklin spermophile, complain of this
species, and there is little doubt that it is
on account of the excessive numbers that
the damage done is so apparent. Thev
are bolder and more savage than either of
the other species, and this would >' akt
them an easier mark to the larger havv'ks.
As all three species of spennophiles are
diurnal (being most active in morning and
evening), the owls (save the few diurnal
hunting species) are unable to persecute
them, and as they all hibernate during cold
weather and store up food for inclement
weather, they escape the persecution or the
winter visiting species of hawks and owds,
and therefore have that much better op-
portunity to increase.

The term gopher, as applied 'o the sper-
mophile, is inappropriate, as the gophers
are a dififerent class of animal, "he spermo-
phile being more correctly speaking ground
squirrels, while the succediiig species i^
the only gopher we have in Llanl'.oba.

The only remaining grain -destroying
mammal to be noted is the gray pocket
gopher (Tho)iioniy's talpoidcs). A fine-
furred, thick-set animal, approaching the

size of the striped gopher, but much
thicker proportionately. The cheek pouches
are separate from the mouth opening and
can contain a considerable quantity of food.
The legs are short and thick, while the
forefoot is developed into a long claw,
especially adapted for digging. The tail
is short and almost devoid of hair. This
animal spends most of its time below th;
surface, only appearing to throw out the
earch which it is constantly loosening as
it continues its tunnelling. This work,
the result of which is seen in the mound;
of fine earth thrown up in the fields, if
doubly destructive, in that it buries much
of the grain too deep to permit of its growth
and also undermines the roots ci much of
the growing seed in the vicinity. It is
upon the roots of these grains and shruba
that he animal feeds. Occasionally it
pulls down the heads of grain into the
burrow, but as a rule it is cont';nt to feed
upon the roots and underground growth.
The species is especially destructive to
young trees, and will destroy whole orch-
ards and groves by cutting oft the roots
of the trees. They will also destroy large
quantities of turnips, carrots, potatoes and
other vegetables. As this animal is chiefly
nocturnal, it would be more a pi'^y to owls
than hawks, and, as it seldom comes far
above the surface, about the only species
which can combat them is the little bur
rowing owl, which seems to be extending
its range into our country. Badgers and
weasels persecute these gophers persistent-
ly, the badger digging the gopher out, while
the largest weasel is able to enter the tun-
nels with ease, and this invariably results
in a dead gopher. There are various
methods adopted to kill oil all these de-
structive animals at times, when their
numbers increase abnormailj'. It can no
longer be disputed that as an agency to-
ward the perpetual limitation of their num-
bers, the hawks and owls, though long
unjustly persecuted, are certainly deserv-
ing of our respect and protection. We can
well spare an occasional j'oung chicken or
an old rheumatic fowl to these birds in
return for the number of the pests they
annually destroj'.