BIRDS OF ESSEX COUNTY. 217 



The stomach of a specimen in my collection taken at Ipswich on February 

 1 2th, 1896, contained the bones and fur of four field mice. The stomach of 

 another, taken at the same place on April 8th, 1904, contained the remains of 

 two Song Sparrows and one Savanna Sparrow. On April 24th, 1904, I started 

 a Short-eared Owl from among bayberry bushes in the Ipswich dunes, where 

 numerous scattered feathers showed that it had been eating a Robin. 



160 [368] Syrnium varium (Barton). 

 Barred Owl. 



Uncommon permanent resident, at times common in the autumn. 



Although this bird undoubtedly breeds, I can give no actual records of its 

 nesting (see, however, page 215). It is more commonly found in the autumnal 

 flight than during any other part of the year. 



161 [370] Scotiaptex nebulosa (Forst.). 

 Great Gray Owl. 



Very rare and irregular winter visitor. 



I have found seven records for the County. Nuttall ^ records the first as 

 follows : " One was caught perched on a wood-pile, in a state of listless 

 inactivity, in the morning after day -light, at Marblehead, in February, 1831. 

 This individual survived for several months, and showed a great partiality for 

 fish and birds. At times he uttered a tremulous cry or lid ho ho lib hoo, not 

 very dissimilar to that of the Mottled Owl." The second record is of one taken 

 at Marblehead in January, 1835.2 A third specimen, now in the Peabody 

 Academy collection, was taken in Wenham in February, 1859.^ A fourth 

 specimen was captured in 1864, at Salem, and presented by J. W. Roberts 

 to the Essex Institute.* A fifth example was taken at Salem on November 



1 Thomas Nuttall : A Manual of the Ornithology of the United States and of Canada, vol. i, p. 

 :28, 1832. 



2 F. W. Putnam: Froc. Essex Inst., vol. i, p. 204, 1856. 

 ^C. J. Maynard : The Naturalist's Guide, p. 130, 1870. 

 'Anon.: Proc. Essex Inst., vol. 4, p. cv, 1865. 



