STRIGID.E — THE OWLS. 57 



intermingled with deep guttural trills. These cries, whicli are sometimes 

 prolonged until after midnight, usually elicit an answer from its mate or 

 companions, and would seem to be uttered as a call soliciting a reply from 

 some lost associate. When kept in confinement the Mottled Owl soon 

 becomes familiarized to its new mode of life, and rarely attempts to injure 

 its captors, though it will at first snap its bill in a threatening manner 

 and manifest considerable irritation on being approached or handled. In the 

 daytime they keep secluded, appear sleepy or stupid, witli half-closed eyes, 

 but, as night approaches, become quite lively and eager for their food. They 

 utter their nocturnal cries in confinement, the doleful sounds of which are 

 in singular contrast with the lively and excited air of the birds as they utter 

 them. Their flight is noiseless and gliding, and they move in a manner so 

 nearly silent as to be hardly perceptible. They are excellent mousers, and 

 swallow their food whole, ejecting the indigestible parts, such as hair, bones, 

 feathers, etc. 



Wilson caught an adult bird, and kept it in confinement some time. At 

 first it was restless and attempted to escape, beating against the glass of the 

 window repeatedly, and several times with so much violence as to stun 

 itself. In a few days it was reconciled to its situation, and became quite 

 tame and familiar, and in the evening was very lively, sprightly, and active. 



The food of the Screech-Owl is chiefly small quadrupeds, insects, and occa- 

 sionally, when they have young, small birds. They destroy a vast number 

 of mice, beetles, and vermin, and are of great service to the agriculturist, 

 although their services are not appreciated, and they are everywhere perse- 

 cuted and hunted down without mercy or justice. 



The nest of this species is usually constructed in hollow trees or stumps, 

 most frequently in orchards in the vicinity of farm-houses, and not more 

 than six or seven feet from the ground. Mr. Audubon states, however, that 

 he has sometimes found them at the height of thirty or forty. To show 

 the provident habits of tliis Owl in procuring for its young a great super- 

 abundance of food, Mr. Nuttall mentions finding in the hollow stunqD of 

 an apple-tree, which contained a single brood of these young Owls, several 

 Bluebirds, Blackbirds, and Song-Sparrows. 



Dr. Cooper, on the other hand, relates an instance where one of these 

 Owls resided as an inmate in a dove-cot, where it was not known to do any 

 injury to its inmates. 



The Screech-Owl can hardly be said to construct any nest, but lines the 

 hollow in which it rears its young with a few loose leaves, dry grasses, and 

 feathers. The eggs are usually five or six in number ; they are pure white, 

 and nearly round. Their average measurement is 1.38 inches in length by 

 1.19 in breadth. 



In regard to the distinctive peculiarities of var. maccalli, we are in posses- 

 sion of but little information. Its habits probably do not essentially vary 

 from those of the common Scops asio, which it so closely resembles in other 



VOL. III. 8 



