Wilderness ways; (1900) (14760100641)

Great Horned Owl and Weasel
Identifier: wildernessways00long (find matches)
Title: Wilderness ways;
Year: 1900 (1900s)
Authors: Long, William J. (William Joseph), 1867-1952
Subjects: Animal behavior
Publisher: Boston, U. S. A., Ginn & company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress



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est; he had placed his fore paws against thetree that held it, when he dropped suddenly; theshivers began to course all over him. Just below,from a stub in a dark thicket, a deep Whooo-hoo-hoo!rolled out over the startled woods. It was Kookooskoos, the great horned owl, whogenerally hunts only in the evening twilight, but who,with growing young ones to feed, sometimes uses themorning twilight as well. Kagax lay still as a stone.Over him the sparrows, knowing the danger, crouchedlow in their nest, not daring to move a claw lest theowl should hear. Behind him the same shadow that had passed overthe partridges nest looked into the hares form withfierce red eyes. It followed Kagaxs trail over that ofthe mother hare, turned back, sniffed the earth, andcame hurrying silently along the ridge. Kagax crept stealthily out of the thicket. He hadan awful fear now of his feet; for, heavy with theblood he had eaten, they would rustle the leaves, orscratch on the stones, that all night long they had
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Kagax the Bloodthirsty. 57 glided over in silence. He was near his den now.He could see the old pine that lightning had blasted,towering against the sky over the dark spruces. Again the deep Whooo-hoo-hoo ! rolled over the hill-side. To Kagax, who gloats over his killing exceptwhen he is afraid, it became an awful accusation. Who has killed where he cannot eat ? who strangleda brooding bird ? who murdered his own kin ? camethundering through the woods. Kagax darted for hisden. His hind feet struck a rotten twig that theyshould have cleared; it broke with a sharp snap.In an instant a huge shadow swept down from thestub and hovered over the sound. Two fierce yelloweyes looked in upon Kagax, crouching and trying tohide under a fir tip. Kagax whirled when the eyes found him and twosets of strong curved claws dropped down from theshadow. With a savage snarl he sprang up, and histeeth met; but no blood followed the bite, only aflutter of soft brown feathers. Then one set of sharpclaws gripp