he test by digging into one of these holes. Here the
Indian boy was a great help, as he thoroughly knew his verb "to dig." I
followed the hole down through hardpan to a depth of three feet, and
back for over ten feet, where at last I found Mrs. Owl sitting on her
nest of fresh eggs. Here I took her picture while her large round eyes
followed my every move as I focused and snapped her. It was while
investigating this subject that I also exploded a somewhat common
belief that prairie dogs, owls, and rattlesnakes live together in the
same quarters in perfect amity. This is not the case. If they are ever
found together it is either an accident unknown to one or the other
party, or one of three has purposely crawled into the other's home for
deeds dark and evil.

Altogether the experiences gained amply repaid me for the effort spent.
These visits to the silent ones were payments ample enough in
themselves, but my closer acquaintance with a very interesting family
made them doubly so. I find that the owl is one of our best and most
valuable friends, destroying during a season much of the troublesome
animal population that injures the agricultural interests of the land.
If careless boys and indifferent "others" could get this fact well
grounded and use some other mark in target practice, all parties would
be better off and much good gained. To take any life is ill, but to
take good life is crime.

[Illustration: BURROWING OWL AND HER EGGS.]

THE JAYS.

"I know an old man,
His name is Jay,
He wears a blue coat,
And a hat of gray.

He has a nice nest
High up in a tree,
Where sits his dear mate
Content as can be.

There are four blue eggs
In the little brown nest,
Which will soon be baby birds
Blue, like the rest."

ADDRESS OF THE BIRDS.

AN EXERCISE FOR FIVE PUPILS.

_The Robin_--

"I am a robin, very brown
And big and plump and smooth and round.
My breast is pretty, bright and red
And see this top-knot on my head!
I heard the boys awhile ago
Shooting robins o'er the snow,
And flew away in trembling fear
And thought I'd hide from them in here.

_The Blue Bird_--

I'm a blue bird. Don't you see
Me sitting on this apple-tree,
I left my nest an hour ago
To look for bugs and worms, you know;
And now I know the very thing--
That while I'm waiting I will s