NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 195 



headed and very much resembling the Barred Owl in appearance. It 

 breeds far northward. Dr. Richardson met with this species in the 

 fur regions and found it common on the borders of Great Bear Lake, 

 keeping constantly in the woods, hunting hares and other smaller 

 quadrupeds. May 23 a nest was found built on the top of a lofty 

 balsam-poplar, composed of sticks with a lining of feathers. Mr. Mac- 

 Farlane found this Owl abundant in the Anderson River region, and 

 on July 19 discovered a nest built in the top of a pine tree, twenty feet 

 from the ground ; it was composed of sticks, mosses and thinly lined 

 with down. The eggs are white, two 01 three in number, and the 

 average size given is 2.16x1.71. 



371. Nyctala tengmalmi richardsoni (BONAP.) [400.] 



Richardson's Owl. 



Hab. Northern North America, south in winter to northern border of the United States. 



The American Sparrow Owl, or Richardson's Owl, so far as known 

 breeds in northern latitudes and is supposed to nest as far south as 

 Nova Scotia. In Western Manitoba, in the Red River region, it is 

 quite common in the wooded districts. Specimens of this Owl have 

 been taken in various parts of the Arctic regions, as at Fort Simpson, 

 Fort Resolution, etc., and in Alaska. Dr. Richardson states that it in- 

 habits all the wooded country from Great Slave Lake to the United 

 States. The nest is described as built in trees, composed of grass 

 and leaves; the eggs two to four in number and their average size 

 i-35x 1.14. They are globular in shape and white in color. 



372. Nyctala acadica (GMEL.) [401.] 



Saw-whet Owl. 



Hab. Whole of North America; breeding from Middle United States northward. 



The Acadian Owl is the smallest member of the family found in 

 Eastern North America, and it inhabits the United States from the 

 Atlantic to the Pacific, ranging north into British America; southward 

 in wooded, mountainous regions, into Mexico. Its shrill, harsh notes, 

 resembling the filing of a saw, have occasioned its name. 



The bird has been found breeding in Massachusetts, Maine, New 

 York, etc., nesting in holes of trees, artificial nests, and in the old 

 nests of herons. Mr. William Brewster records a set of four eggs 

 taken April 5, near Tyngsboro, Massachusetts, by Mr. W. Perham ; they 

 were deposited in artificial nests made from sections of hollow trunks, 

 nailed to trees in woods. The sizes of four eggs are given, as follows: 

 i. 21 x. 95, i. 21 x. 98, i. 25 x. 96, i. 25 x. 97. Other eggs were taken 

 from similar nests by Mr. Perham. 



Near Utica, New York, Mr. Egbert Bagg, on the dates of April 



