466 THE NORTHERN SPOTTED OWL. 



Recognition Marks. — Crow size; strikingly white-spotted; smaller and 

 without "horns," as distinguished fr(jni the Dusky Horned ( )\\ 1. 



Nesting. — Not yet described — doubtless similar to that nf .V. occidentale, 

 viz., nest in hollow tree or built on branch, of sticks, weeds, etc., lined with grass 

 and feathers. Eggs: 3 or 4, white, rounded. .\v. size 2.05 x 1.80 (52.1 .X45.7). 

 Season: A)>ril; one brood. 



General Ranjje. — Coast region nf Washington and llritish Columbia. 



Range in Washington. — West-side from summit of Cascades to tide-water — 

 rare resident. 



Authorities. — Syniinm occidentale, Rhoads, .\uk, X. Jan. '<j3, p. 17. Rli. B. 



Specimens.— (U. of W.) P.. 



vSlX'ri{IvX species of Owls are accredited to llie axitainia i>f Washing- 

 ton; yet with the solitary exception of the lUirrowing Owl, wlm IratHcs in the 

 open and who is alwa_\'S at home in season, there is none you may lay hand.s 

 upon when wanted, and none whose ac(|naintance you may cultivate, except 

 as favored li\' lickle furtune. Thus it ci>nies al)Out that certain species, known 

 to be in the nature <if the case not uncommon, are mere ornithol(j,gical visions 

 re\-ealed in a moment to the lucky (and often unscruptilous ) man with the 

 gun, and \eile(l from the unfortunate h\' great depths of forests. 



Mr. Bowles has seen this species only once, and I m H at all. Rathhun, 

 of Seattle, and Edson, of Bellingham, are likewise upon the waiting list. 

 The first specimen, noted by Samuel N. Rhoads in 1892''', was taken by 

 Edwards Brothers, ta.xidermists, at a spot twelve miles east of Tacoma. 

 Later'', Dr. C. Hart Merriani elaborated this species on the basis of an adult 

 female, taken at Mount Vernon on June 22. iSc)", b}- E. -A.. Preble, of the 

 Biological Sm-\ey, and reported its occurrence also in the 01ym])ic Mountains. 



The economy of this bird is cptite that of the eastern Barred Owl. of 

 which I ciipy a few notes'^: "The birds lumt mainly b}' night but often avail 

 themselves of cloudy days and do not appear so nearly dazed as some in broad 

 daylight. It is not unusual for the early bird-iuan to see the liirds coming in 

 from the meadows just before sunrise and making rapidly for the worxls with 

 that smoothly alternating fla]vand-sail, which is characteristic of the bin!. 



"The ordinarv challenge notes, delixered in a deep bass voice, consist 

 of the theme, ivlin-ii'lioo, variously modified. ]\'lio-wJio . ii'ho-i.i'ha6-tvho, is 

 a comuKTii fiiriu, and one which may readily be imitated by blowing intii the 

 hands held conch-shaped. 



"Barred Owls mate in Eebruar\- and nest either din"ing the last week of 

 that month or earl\- in Alarcb. I'sually some hullow tree in the depths of 



a. .Auk, \'oI. X., Jan. 1893, p. 17. 



b. Auk, Vol. X\\, Jan. 1898, pp. 39, 40. 



c. From "The Birds of Ohio," pp. 378, 379. 



