304 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



getting grass to build with. One night two winters ago one came 

 into a barn-yard and killed two geese. The farmer caught it in a 

 trap a few nights after. These owls are usually found along the 

 rivers and streams in thick woods. The western form in Manitoba 

 and the northwest is usually found in willow thickets along the 

 banks of streams and the edges of sloughs. I have seen them time 

 and again fly from a log or a stone, up the bank of a stream at my 

 approach, which leads me to think that they are very fond of bathing 

 and washing themselves, although I never saw one in the act. They 

 feed chiefly upon the hares that live in the thickets. (Spread- 

 borough.) This species builds in holes in trees when such can be 

 found, it also builds in hemlock, beech or other large trees in the 

 vicinity of Ottawa. The nest is placed near the trunk of the tree 

 and is composed of dry sticks, probably lined with leaves and feathers^ 

 the eggs are two or three in number. (G. R. White.) A fairly 

 common species along the St. Lawrence, but rapidly becoming 

 rarer, I have seen the nest several times; one near Perth, Ont., 

 in a tamarack tree not more than twelve feet from the ground, which 

 on May 30th, 1886, contained two young ones just able to fly. It is 

 a very early breeder; on the nth April, 1895, I found a nest with 

 two much incubated eggs. The nest occupied was in a yellow 

 birch, and the previous year had been tenanted by a pair of red- 

 shouldered hawks. This nest was again occupied by the owls 

 three years later. Again in 1899 I found the nest in a hemlock 

 about sixty feet from the ground on March 28th, when the weather 

 was very cold and snow covered the ground. This nest contained 

 two eggs, incubation far advanced. This owl is easily kept in con- 

 finement and does not appear to suffer from changes of weather. 

 I have had one for fifteen years. (Rev. C. J. Young.) A nest of 

 this species found in May, 1900, containing two large young, had 

 beneath it numerous fragments of birds and mammals, among the 

 former were remains of a broad- winged hawk, two red-shouldered 

 hawks and one red-tailed hawk. This is our earliest resident breeder; 

 full sets have been taken as early as February 24th near London, 

 and all the eggs are generally laid by March loth. (W. E. Saunders.) 



375a. Western Horned OwL 



Bubo virginianus subarcticus (Hog.) 1852. 

 Of recent record at Toronto, Ont. ; there are none in old collections. 

 I have examined four well marked birds since 1893; of these two 



