114 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



upon available nesting sites and freedom from persecution. Mr Worthing- 

 ton found a nest on Plum island, Suffolk county, May 7, 1891 (Auk, 10, 

 301) containing a young bird about half grown, which would give April 1 

 as the approximate date for eggs. The author photographed a young 

 bird of this species on May 11, 1902, which had recently been taken from 

 a nest near the foot of Canandaigua lake. This nest contained also 8 

 eggs in various stages of incubation. Mr Savage reports a set of 7 eggs 

 taken near Buffalo by Frank S. Low, April 7, 1898. According to Bruce 

 and Short it breeds quite commonly near Brockport and Chili in Monroe 

 county. But its commonest breeding grounds are on the marshes of the 

 Seneca river above and below Montezuma, and on the wet lands near the 

 eastern end of Lake Ontario. 



Habits. The specific names of this bird formerly in vogue — palustris, 

 of the marsh, and accipitrinus, hawklike, were more appropriate names 

 than Pontoppidan's name which supplants them in accordance with the 

 rules of our Code of Nomenclature ; for this is our Marsh owl par excellence 

 and is more hawklike both in appearance and habits than any other of 

 our common species. While traveling about the country I have often seen 

 it sitting on trees and fence posts in broad daylight watching for its favorite 

 prey, or hawking back and forth over the grassy lowlands. It is easily 

 distinguished from the Marsh hawk and other diurnal raptores by its 

 larger head, more wavering flight and the blunter pointed, more " crooked " 

 wings. Mice, mostly field mice, make about 80 per cent of this owl's 

 food, while only 10 or 12 per cent consists of small birds of the open 

 field, mostly sparrows. Its eggs measure about 1.60 by 1.26 inches, of 

 a less shiny white than those of the Long-eared owl. The young are 

 dark brown in color, spotted with ocherous, the face brownish black, and 

 the lower parts dull buff marked with smoky. They remain for 3 or 4 

 weeks in the vicinity of the nest, which is a rude affair placed on the ground 

 in the midst of the thick marsh grass. This is the most silent of our owls 

 and even when defending itself or its nest, makes only a sharp snapping 

 sound with its beak. 



The Short-eared owl is Holarctic in distribution, sharing with the Snowy 



