186 



KEY AND DESCRIPTION 



SO small as often to be unnoticed. There is much of buffy 

 tints, especially on the lower parts, which are streaked on 

 both breast and belly. This inhabitant of wet, grassy places 

 is fearless and will allow itself to be almost stepped upon 

 before it will fly. Like the last, it feeds principally upon 

 mice. 



Length, 14-17; wing, \2\ (12-13);. tail, 6; tarsus, If; culmen, 1|. 

 Found in almost all lands ; breeding in North America, locally from 

 Virginia northward. 



3. Barred Owl (.308. Si/rniinn yiebuldsum). — A large, night- 

 flyini,', iiiucli-liairod. brownish, hooting owl, without ear tufts. 



The cross bars are fine and numerous 

 on all parts of this bird, except the 

 belly and sides, which are white, 

 broadly streaked with blackish. Most 

 owls have light, usually yellow eyes, 

 but the barred owl's eyes are nearly 

 black. This inhabitant of large, dense 

 woods is the one whose hooting call 

 can be heard nearly a mile — whoo- 

 irlu'io-tcJwt'hV'lwo-iih. Its notes are 

 more frequently heard soon after dark 

 and before sunrise, but during moon- 

 li.Ljht nights it may bo heard all night, 

 and occasionally even during the day. 

 Its food consists of small mammals, 

 insects, and birds. (Hoot Owl ; Amer- 



Barred Owl ican Wood Owl.) 



Length, 17-25; wing, 13^ (12-14); tail, 0; culmen, \\. United 

 States from Nebraska and Texas eastward, nortli to Quebec ; breeding 

 throughout. The Florida Barred Owl (:>(>><». ,S', n. alleni) differs in hav- 

 ing the toes almost bare of feathers ; a few bristly feathers are to be found 

 along the outer side of the middle toe only. South Carolina to Texas, 

 near the coast. 



4. Great Gray Owl (370 Scotidptex ciiidrea). — A northern, 

 very large, yellow-eyed, ashy-brown, mottled owl, without ear 



