[Bulletin 

 Princeton 

 Bird Club 



Family Strigidae. Barn Owls. 



73 (365)- American Barn Owl. Strix pratincola 



Bonap. 



Twenty-five years ago Mr. Scott tells me that this species was very 

 rare throughout this section. Since then, however, they have become 

 locally common and breed in several places. In 1898 a nest was found 

 in a hollow tree at the old golf links by Mr. Henry Van Marter and an- 

 other at the Double Bridges. I was fortunate enough to find one on 

 the top floor of Grey's Mill, May 2, 1898. The old birds entered by 

 means of a grain slide and no nest was made, the seven eggs being de- 

 posited on a pile of oat chaff. Since then this pair have been killed, 

 and unfortunately four more were taken soon after. At one place a 

 whole brood of young were destroyed by boys. The pair at the golf 

 links, however, are still unmolested and have successfully reared their 

 last two broods. I have frequently seen them on warm spring evenings 

 flapping silently over the golf course in the search for mice. 



Family Bubonidce. Horned Owls, Hoot Owls, etc. 



74 (366). American Long-eared Owl. Asio wilson- 



ianus (Less.'). 



A much more common resident than is generally supposed. On 

 May 15, 1898, I found a nest in a tall pine at Prof. Marquand's place, 

 containing two nearly fledged young. During the same spring, two more 

 were found in similar places and the next spring (May 5) Mr. C. R. 

 Babson found another in a cedar tree containing five nearly hatched 

 eggs. A colony of nine of these owls spend every winter in the pines 

 at Mr. Leavitt Howe's place, but early in April retire to more secluded 

 breeding sites, returning again in the early autumn. The ground under 

 the three trees in which they roost is literally covered with mice bones, 

 but out of a hundred or more skulls examined, only one proved to be 

 that of a bird. 



75 (367). Short-eared Owl. Asio accipitrinus {Pall.). 



a regular winter visitor, but decreasing in numbers. Formerly a 

 large colony inhabited Phillips' meadows during the colder months, but 

 owing to indiscriminate shooting, only a few remain. There is another 



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