OF NEW ENGLAND. 339 



" Some time since the building in which my pet was kept 

 was torn clown, and the bird was absent for two weeks ; but a 

 new building has been erected near the site of the old one, and 

 to-day I found Scops in the new cellar, sitting on a projecting 

 stone of the wall, as much at home as in the old place. From 

 this it can be seen that its affection for locality is very strong. 

 Notwithstanding Scops' long absence it is as tame as ever, 

 taking its food from m}' hand, and behaving in the old man- 

 ner. * * * " 



(f/). The ordinary note of the Screech Owl is a tremulous, 

 continued hooting, repeated at short intervals. Wilson has 

 likened this to the " shivering moanings of a half frozen 

 pupp}- ;" it resembles somewhat the distant baying of a fox- 

 hound, though not so deep. In spring, it is varied to what is 

 more like an unearthly laugh, and it is not surprising that by 

 the superstitious this cry should be considered ill-boding ; yet 

 there is almost a fascination in listening to it. 



VI. BUBO 



(A) viRGiNiANUs. Great Horned Owl. 



(In Massachusetts, a resident throughout the 3'ear.) 



(a). Extreme length, twenty-seven inches. Plumage vari- 

 able ; but large ear-tul'ts and white throat-patch constant. A 

 fine specimen before me is marked with dark brown, whitish, 

 and tawny. Above, finely variegated ; tail, primaries, etc., 

 distinctly barred. Beneath, more or less finely barred ; under 

 tail-coverts, pale, with a few waves of dark brown. 



(6). The Great Horned Owls are said to sometimes lay their 

 eggs in the hollow of a tree, or even in the fissure of a rock. 

 Usually, however, they build a large nest of sticks, at some 

 height above the ground, next to the trunk of a pine or occa- 

 sionally a hemlock. For this pur[)ose, they choose some dark 

 and unfrequented wood, where in March, or even February, 

 they lay their eggs, three or four in number. These measure 

 2"2") X 1'90 of an inch, or more, and are white, or sometimes 

 yellowish. 



(c). The Great Horned Owls are the most spirited and de- 



