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MOTTLED AND RED OWL. 121 



Spec. Charact. — Dark brown, inclining to ferruginous and ash, 

 mottled with black ; wings spotted with white ; beneath whitish, 

 spotted with black and brown ; the tail even, reaching to the tip 

 of the wings ; feet covered with short feathers nearly to the 

 claws. — Young, tawny red, with narrow dark spots along the 

 shafts of the feathers. — The adult, covered with transverse, mi- 

 nute, zigzag lines and points. 



This common, small, and handsome species, known 

 as the Little Screech-Owl, is probably resident in every 

 part of the United States, and, in fact, inhabits from 

 Greenland to Florida. They appear more abundant in 

 autumn and winter, as at those seasons, their food failing, 

 they are obliged to approach habitations and barns, in 

 which the mice they chiefly prey on now assemble ; they 

 also lay wait for small birds, and feed on beetles, crick- 

 ets, and other insects. Their nest is usually in the hollow 

 of an old orchard tree, about the months of May or 

 June ; it is lined carelessly with a little hay, leaves, and 

 feathers, and the eggs are commonly 4 to 6, white, 

 and nearly round. Aldrovandus remarks, that the Great 

 Horned Owl provides so plentifully for its young, that a 

 person might obtain some dainties from the nest, and yet 

 leave a sufficiency for the owlets besides ; the same re- 

 mark may also apply to this species, as in the hollow 

 stump of an apple tree, which contained a brood of these 

 young Owls, were found several Bluebirds, Blackbirds, 

 and Song-Sparrows, intended as a supply of food. 



During the day they either retire into hollow trees and 

 unfrequented barns, or hide in the thickest evergreens. 

 At times they are seen abroad by day, and in cloudy 

 weather they wake up from their diurnal slumbers a con- 

 siderable time before dark. In the day they are always 

 drowsy, or, as if dozing, closing, or scarcely half opening 

 their heavy eyes ; presenting the very picture of sloth 

 and nightly dissipation. When perceived by the smaller 

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