Beverly Ball, age 1L~, of !lion, N.Y., far her question:

Is there really a white owl?

There is n bird called the snowy owl who is almost completely white. We c'o not see him very often, for he spends the long summer in the snow­ clad Arctic. During a cold winter, he may fly down to the Central United States and has been ?mown to visit as far south as Texas.

There is also a pale, buff‑colored owl who has a white heart‑shaped face. This fellow is the common barn owl who is a permanent resident through the central end southern states. Dark eyes peer out from his solemn face anal his downy buff feathers are often freckled with darker dots. Neither the snowy owl nor the barn owl look very owlish. For neither of them wear the owl's usual pussycat ear tufts. In the owl family, the barn owl is often placed in a class by himself.

The snowy owl of the Arctic is a true owl, even though he has no feathery ear tufts. His huge golden eyes stare out from a snow‑white face which wears a rather prissy expression. His soft white; breast and downy wings may be lightly speckled with tan. This color in blends in with the snowy tundra better than solid white. Because of his chosen climate, this owl wears white feather booties to keep his feet and legs warm.

The snowy owl is born on the Arctic tundra. and this is a region of the midnight sun. Winter is a time of endless night when the sun does not rise at all. Summer is a time of endless day when the sun does not set for months. Owls, of course, arc creatures of the night. Those round, staring eyes are fitted to see in the dim darkness. Daylight dazzles them. The snowy owl is an exception. In the long Arctic summer, he must hunt by day.

When he flies south, the snowy owl still hunts by day. This is one way you can tell him from the common barn owl. When he stands upright he is two feet tall,  a little taller than the barn" owl. And, of course, the barn owl dogs not have white feather booties. If you see either of these fellows, do not shoo them away. They arc both sworn enemies of rats and mice.

There are exceptions, but as a claw owls are our good friends and allies, It his been estimated that one rodent‑eating owl is worth $20 a year to the farmer. The rodents he eats in a year would have destroyed about $20 worth of our food. One exception is the horned owl. This big, dark‑colored fellow has long, horn‑like ear tufts. He is so fierce that he is called the tiger‑of‑the night. Down he swoops on noiseless wings crying Hoot, hoot, hoot. The horned owl is strong enough. to carry off rabbits and bold enough to raid the chicken run. This hungry fellow is not particular about what he eats. He is one of the few animals known to dine on skunk.