SCREECH OWL 287 



10'. Shoulders not reddish brown. 

 11. Tail long, with three light bcands ; under parts 

 lightly and uniformly barred. Destroys 

 poultry ... p. 269. Cooper's Hawk. 



11'. Tail short, with two light bands; breast heav- 

 ily barred with brown ; under parts lightly 

 barred. Found in woods. 



p. 275. Broad-winged Hawk. 



Screech Owl : Megascops asio. 



(Plate XXI. ) 



Geographic Distribution. — Eastern North America, north- 

 ward to New Brvinswick and Minnesota ; generally resident 

 throughout its range. Various forms are found throughout 

 the wooded portions of the United States and Mexico. 



Of the small Owls, the Screech Owl is the only 

 one with large ear-tufts, and so may be easily 

 known, although its color varies, being sometimes 

 reddish brown and sometimes gray. We are for- 

 tunate enough to have this little Owl as a familiar 

 neighbor in our orchards and about our farm- 

 houses, where it comes out at night and inspects 

 corn-cribs and grain-stacks for mice, devouring 

 in its time many thousands of the little pests. 

 Doctor Fisher speaks of the pretty footprints of 

 mice which mark the snow after a winter's night, 

 and says that when a track stops abruptly, if the 

 faint impression of a pair of wing-tips is visible 

 beside it, one can guess what has happened. Be- 

 sides ridding us of mice, the Screech Owl also 

 does good by destroying House Sparrows. 



