320 MOTTLED OWL. 



as biitli liluiiingcs arc found equally i;oimMon both North nnd South. Parents of the same color will produce young which 

 ar6 iu liotli stages of jilumage and, if one parent chances to be gray and the other red, or vice versa, the young may be all 

 red or ail gray, or part of the number red and the remaimier gray, or individuals among them may assume the intermediate 

 stage: in short, there api)cars to bo absolutely no rule by which these changes can be determined. No one, however, will 

 mistake this well-known Owl fjr any otiier species, for the small size, compact form, and prominent ear tuft.s, together 

 with the colors as described will serve to distinguish it. There is a rather small Florida form of this species but they do 

 not differ much from more Northern Owls, excepting in being a little darker, for I have found all the stages described, as 

 common there as they are in Ma-isaohusetts. Distributed, as a constant resident, througliout North America to the Arctic 

 Circle. 



DIJIENSIONS. 



Dimensions of spcciuiens from UTassachusetts and Florida. Average measurements of males. Length, S'.'JO; stretch 

 20-00; wing, f)'4fl; tail, 3-25; bill, -75; tarsus, 1-25. Longest specimen, !)-i)0; greatest extent of wing, 21-00; longest wing 

 ■7 00; tail, 3 50, bill, -80; tarsus, 1-60. Sh.ortest specimen, 8-00; smallest extent of wing, 18-00; shortest wing, 5-il5; tail 

 2 00, bill, •5.'); tarsus, 1-05. 



Average measurements of female specimens. Lengtii, 9-00; stretch, 22-50; wing, 6-25; tail, 300; bill, -85; tarsus, 1-40. 

 Longest si)ecimen, 9-50; greatest extent of wing, 23-85; longest wing, 7-30; tail, 3-55; bill, -90; tarsus, 1-50. Sliortest spec- 

 imen, 8 50: smallest extent of wing, 21-50; shortest wing, 5-90; tail, 2-55; bill, -80; tarsus, 1-30. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Nests, placel in holes of trees, pot elaborately constructed, composed of grass, leaves, etc.; or the eggs are often placet. 

 on any material whioli chances to bo at the bottom of the hole. 



Eijus, from New England. fv)ur to six in number, rather spherical in form, pure white iu color, with the surface very 

 pmootli. Dimensions from r20xl-45 to 1-40x1-60. The number of eggs deposited in Florida is seldom, if ever, more 

 than tliree. They arc of a simdar form to those from further North but -are considerably smaller, measuring riOx 1-30 \n 

 1 15 X 1 40. 



HABITS. 



The Mottled Owls are among the most abundant of the order in North America, yet 

 their habits are scarcely known to the majority of the people among which they dwell; in- 

 deed, ornithologists are, as a rule, not familiar with these birds, judging from the state- 

 ments which they have mjule concerning thein and, until quite recently, even the various 

 stages of plumages assumed by them, were not well understood. Now I do not mean to 

 intimate that 1 possess any more sagacity than my colaborers when I make the above as- 

 sertions, for I have doubtless made more or less misttd^es, though unwittingly, in reference 

 to what I have said about some birds, but in regard to the species now under consideration, 

 I feel as if I had the subject well in hand as there has scarcely been a time for the past 

 ten or twelve years, when I did not have a Mottled Owl as a pet and, as I write, a fine 

 male is sitting on his accustomed roost near, gazing wisely at me out of a pair of bright 

 yellow eyes. 



T have begun my article by saying that (he Mottled Owls were very abundant and 

 they are much more numerous than any one would suppose who has not searched for them. 

 They are very retiring in habit, living in holes throughout the day almost exclusively; in 

 fact, it is rare to lind one sitting on a tree and, with all my experience with the species, 

 I do not think that I have seen a dozen specimens in such an exposed situation. They 

 are quite timid and Sjopsie. my pet Owl, when frightened, will fly to his box and dart in- 

 to it; thus the h;tbit of seeking protection in holes appears to be instinctive. When the 

 Mottled (Jwls are surprised outside their domiciles during daylight, they will half (dose 

 th.eir eyes, raise their ear tufts, draw their feathers close to their body, appearing exactly 



