58 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF ALABAMA 



dozen or more are often seen together. Winter resident." 

 (1890e). 



The stomach of the specimen listed "contained a male 

 redwing." 



No. 958. Female. Greensboro. Dec. 4, 1891. W. C. Avery. 



79. STRIX VARIA VARIA (Barton). 

 Barred Owl. 



A specimen in the collection, bearing no label, is refer- 

 able to this subspecies. It is thought to be No. 100, taken 

 b}^ Dr. Avery at Greensboro, Oct. 18, 1888. 



80. STRIX VARIA ALLENI (Ridgway). 

 Florida Barred Owl. 



"Common. Resident. Breeds." (189Ue). 



No. 835. Female. Greensboro. May 6, 1891. W. C. Avery. 

 No. 951. Female. Greensboro. Nov. 18, 1891. W. C. Avery. 

 No. 992. Female-juv. Greensboro. Sept. 7, 1892. W. C. Avery. 



81. OTUS ASIO ASIO (Linnaeus). 

 Florida Screech Owl*. 



The first record found of the screech owl is the journal 

 entry of specimen No. 6 (old series), an adult female 

 taken at Greensboro, June 3, 1876. After a description 

 of the eyes, bill and nails, and a note on the stomach 

 contents, "debris of beetles," is written : "The screech 

 owl is found in Alabama about barns and near dwelling 

 houses. It builds for years in the same hollow tree." 



The next specimen was taken just two weeks later, in 

 the same locality, and under the record is appended : 

 "This bird has two plumages which do not characterize 

 either male or female; both being indifferently clad now 

 in one, now in the other: i. e.. the male may sometimes 

 be found with a reddish or rufus plumage, and the female 

 may sometimes have the same, sometimes the male may 

 be mottled and then again the female may be mottled. 

 No, 6 is an instance of a female with the rufus plumage, 

 and the present specimen is a female with the mottled 

 plumage." 



♦Ridgway, Birds of N. and Mid. Am., Part VI, p. 687, Wash. 1914. 



