46 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



nest and eggs to have been secured. The taking of Kirtland's Owl, -which 

 is now known to be the imuuiture bird of tliis species, near that city, as 

 well as in Kacine, and at Hauiihon, Canada, is also suggestive that this Owl 

 may breed in those localities. 



Dr. Towiisend is said to have found this Owl in Oregon, Dr. Gandiel met 

 with it in t'alifornia, Mr. Audubon lias taken it both in Kentucky and in 

 Louisiana, Mr. Wilson met with it in New Jersey, IMr. i\IcCullock in Nova 

 Scotia, and Dr. Hoy in Wisconsin. Di'. Xewbeny met with tliis bird in 

 Oregon, but saw none in California. Dr. Suckley obtained it at tlie Dalles, on 

 tlie north side of the Columbia, in December. Tliis was several miles from 

 the timbered region, and the bird was supposed to be living in the basaltic 

 cliffs of the vicinity. Dr. Cooper found one at Vancouver in February. It 

 was dead, and had ajiparently died of starvation. Professor Snow speaks of 

 it as rare in Kansas. ]\Ir. Boardman and Professor Verrill both give it as 

 resident and as common in JMaine. It is rather occasional and rare in East- 

 ern Massachusetts, and Mv. Allen did not find it common near Springfield. 

 On one occa,sion I found one of these birds in April, at Nahant. It was ap- 

 l^arently migrating, and had sought slielter in the rocky cliffs of that penin- 

 sula. It was greatly bewildered by the light, and was several times almost 

 on tlu! point of being captured by hand. 



Tins Owl is not unfrequently kepit in confinement. It seems easily rec- 

 onciled to captivity, becomes quite tame, suffers itself to be handled by 

 strangers without resenting the familiarity, but is greatly excited at the sight 

 of mice or rats. Captain Bland had one of these birds in captivity at Hali- 

 fax, which he put into the same room with a rat. The bird immediately 

 attacked and killed the rat, but died soon after of exhaustion. 



The notes of this Owl, dui-ing the breeding-season, are said to resemble 

 the noise made by the filing of a saw, and it is known in certain localities 

 as the Saw-Whet. Mr. Audubon, on one occasion, hearing these notes in a 

 forest, and unaware of their source, imagined he was in the vicinity of a 

 saw-mill. 



According to Mr. Audubon, tliis Owl lireeds in liollow trees, or in the de- 

 serted nests of other birds; and lavs from ibur to six "lossy-white e"£is, wliidi 

 are almost spherical. He states, also, tliat lie found near Natchez a nest 

 in the broken stump of a small decayed tree not more than four feet high. 

 He also mentions the occasional occurrence of one of these Owls in the midst 

 of one of our crowded cities. One of them was thus taken in Cincinnati, 

 wheie it was found resting on the edge of a child's cradle. ]\Ir. McCulloch, 

 quoted by Audubon, gives an interesting account of the notes and the ven- 

 triloquial powers of this bird. On one occasion lie heard what seemed to 

 him to be the faint notes of a distant bell. Upon approaching the place 

 from which these sounds proceeded, they appeared at one time to be in 

 front of him, then behind him, now on his right hand, now on his left, 

 again at a great distance, and then close behind him. At last he dis- 



