February, 1S93.] 



AND OOLOGIST. 



G. C. Pearson, Vermillion Co., No. 40. 

 Charles Wells, Logan Co., No. 45. 

 ^V. L. Jones, St. Claire Co., No. 75. 

 C. B. Vandercook, Marion Co., No. 77. 

 AVilliam B. Caulk, Jefferson Co., No 84. 

 Rev. J. C. Elliot, Perry Co., No. 88. 

 G. W. Rearden, Gallatin Co., No. 92. 

 Prof. L. E. Baird, Jackson Co., No. 95. 

 O. Widmann, Old Orchard, Mo. 

 Philo Smith, Jr., St. Louis, Mo. 

 C. P. Fore, Wayland, Mo. 

 C. J. Lemen, Uniontown, Ky. 

 Burtis H. Wilson, Davenport, Iowa. 



J. E. Dickinson. No. 3. 



(R) Common. 



Breeds -using an old crow or squirrel's 

 nest. 



Complete sets about April i ; one brood. 



Sets, 5 to 7. 9 eggs average 1.58 x 1.37. 



Set 1-3, 1.61X1.29; 1.67x1.27; r.63 

 X 1.28. 



Brood remains with old birds through the 

 following winter. 



Food, Meadow Mice, Moles, White-footed 

 Mice. 



Common names : " Cat Owl " and " Little 

 Horned Owl." 



F. A. Gregory. No. 3. 



Not found. 

 W. E. Pratt. No. 6. 



Two sets, one of 4 and one of 5, on April 

 12, 1890. 



As he has found only these two sets in five 

 years' collecting, we may conclude it is a 

 rather rare resident in Cook and Lake 

 Counties. 



Gordon Schanck. No. 6.. 



Has no record of the Long-eared Owl. 



O. H. Szuazey. No. 6. 



Has not met it. 



L. W. Nicliols. No. 10. 



Tolerably common ; resident along Fox 

 River. 



Set of 5 eggs. 



Dr. A. C. Murchison. No. 16. 



Resident, but more common in winter. 



Tolerably common. 



Nests -common in suitable places. 



Uses an old crow's nest, preferably one 

 in a pine tree, but sometimes in a hedge, 

 " Osage Orange," or in the woods in an oak. 



The condition of the nest is not material 

 if it will hold the eggs. 



Nests found on 3-1 1-89, 3-22-89, 2 nests ; 

 3-25-89. 4-?-90, 4-10-92, 4-30-92, 2d set 

 from same birds ; 3d set was laid in 3 weeks 

 after, 5-28-92, 6-20-92 : 2(1 set from same 

 birds. 



Sets are: 1-8, 1-7, 1-7, 1-7, 1-7, 1-4, 

 1—5, 1-5, 1-5, 1-5, for the dates given above. 



I am undecided as to whether the aver- 

 age set is 5 or 7. In 1889 I found sets of 

 7, but in 1892 all were of 5. The color, as 

 in all owl eggs, is white, and except for dirt 

 does not change during incubation. 



A set of eight measures 1.62x1.25, 1.64 

 X 1.28, 1.63 X 1.30, r.58 X 1.34, 1. 61 X 1.28, 

 1.62x1.28, 1.60 X 1.29, 1.56x1.29; aver- 

 age 1. 61 X 1.29. 



Fifteen eggs taken in 1889 average 1.60 x 

 1.28. 



Fifteen eggs taken in 1892 average 1.68 

 X 1.29. 



From this I judge sets of 5 will a-s'erage 

 larger than sets of 7 or 8. 



The largest two eggs are 1.73 x 1.38 and 

 1.75 X 1.31 ; the smallest 1.52 .x 1.27. 



The period of incubation is about 4 weeks, 

 but will var}', as some eggs in a nest will 

 hatch in four weeks after the first was laid, 

 while others will come at almost any time 

 after 4 weeks. 



An egg is laid every other day, or a set of 

 5 in 10 days. Incubation begins with the 

 first egg laid. 



Only one brood is raised unless they are 

 disturbed, and then I have known one bird 

 to lay 3 sets of 7 eggs in one nest. 



R. M. Barnes. No. 25. 



Summer resident, but date of arrival and 

 departure unknown. 



Nests sparingly ; found only twice in 1 5 

 years' work, and heard of once. 



One nest found in an old crow's nest in 



