BARRED OWL. 



71 



em States. Its food is principally rabbits, squirrels, Grouse, 

 Quails, rats, mice, and frogs. From necessity, as well as choice, 

 these birds not unfrequently appear around the farm-house and 

 garden in quest of the poultry, particularly young chickens. 

 At these times they prowl abroad towards evening, and fly low 

 and steadily about, as if beating for their prey. In Alabama, 

 Georgia, West Florida, and Louisiana, where they abound, they 

 are often to be seen abroad by day, particularly in cloudy 

 weather, and at times even soar and fly with all the address of 

 diurnal birds of prey. Their loud guttural call of 'koh 'koh 'ko 

 ko, ho, or 'li'hah 'w/iah 'whali 'whah-aa, may be heard occasion- 

 ally both by day and night, and as a note of recognition, is 

 readily answered when mimicked, so as to decoy the original 

 towards the sound. One which I received, in the month of 

 December (1830), was hovering over a covey of Quails in the 

 day-time ; and though the sportsman had the same aim, the 

 Owl also joined the chase, and was alone deterred from his 

 sinister purpose by receiving the contents of the gun intended 

 only for the more favorite game, ^^'hen the young leave the 

 nest they still keep together for mutual warmth and safety in 

 the high, shaded branches of the trees where they have prob- 

 ably been hatched. On being approached by the parents, 

 they utter a hissing call audible for some distance. According 

 to Audubon, when kept in captivity they prove very useful 

 in catching mice. Their flesh is also eaten by the Creoles of 

 Louisiana, and considered as palatable. 



An interesting article, containing the most valuable information 

 regarding the habits of this Owl that has yet been published, ap- 

 peared in '• The Auk " for April, 1S90. The writer, Mr. Frank Belles, 

 kept a pair for several years ; and one of these, having broken its 

 wing, was reduced to such subjection that Mr. Bolles was enabled 

 to make use of it in hunting for other birds, and thus gained 

 an insight into the bird's methods that no other naturalist has 

 equalled. 



Note. — The Florida Barred Owl {S. nebulosuvi alleni), 

 a somewhat darker variety, is restricted to the Gulf States and 

 Florida. 



