THE MOTTLED OWL. 



65 



" Young. — Entire plumage transversely striped with ashy-white and pale-brown; 

 wings and tail pale-rufous. 



" Total length, nine and a half to ten inches; wing, seven; tail, three and a half 

 inches. Sexes nearly alike in size and color. 



" The stages of plumage described above have been regarded as characterizing 

 distinct species; and they do present a problem scarcely to be considered as fully 

 solved. This bird pairs and rears young while in the red plumage; and it is not 

 unusual to find a mottled male and red female associated, or the reverse." — John 

 Cassin. 



As with many of the other birds of prey, the different 

 plumages in wliich this owl is taken have caused great con- 

 fusion ; and, as Mr. Cassin truly remarks, the matter is not 

 yet settled beyond doubt. The 

 observation has generally been, ^^^ 

 that the young birds are in the ^^^^^ 

 red plumage ; but I have cer- ^^V* '^ 

 tainly known of one instance f ^" ^ 

 when the young bird was in 

 the gray. A nest was found 

 in a hollow tree in Milton, 

 Mass., in which tliere were 

 three young birds. They were 

 permitted to remain ; and I vis- 

 ited the nest as often as every 

 two days until they flew off. 

 The last time that I saw them, 

 — the day before they left the 

 nest, — they were fully fledged, and they had very few marks 

 of brownish-red in their plumage. Whether this was an 

 exceptional case, I know not ; but I will present the obser- 

 vations of different ornithologists which conflict with my 

 own. I will also quote Audubon's description of the habits 

 of the bird, as it is better than I can give from my own 

 experience, though it corresponds to my observations so far 

 as they go. He says, — 



" The flight of the Mottled Owl is smooth, rapid, protracted, and 

 noiseless. It rises at times above the top branches of the highest 

 of our forest trees whilst in pursuit of large beetles ; and at other 



