Wayne: Birds of South Carolina. 83 



serving it for a few minutes I retreated some distance and fired 

 at it, but could not find any trace of the bird except a few feathers. 

 This is the only specimen I have ever seen. 



A young bird in the first or "albifrons" plumage was taken 

 by Mr. Alfred Cuthbert on St. Helena Island. The data are 

 incomplete, but I sent the specimen to Mr. William Brewster, 

 who wrote concerning it as follows: 



It is much redder and more richly coloreil than any of my New England 

 specimens (I have hut two in this plumage, however) and it also has more white 

 on the forehead and wings. I should not be at all surprised if it should prove to 

 belong to a form subspeeifically distinct from A'^. [yctala] acadicn. 



The Saw-whet Owl breeds from the Middle States northward, 

 and, in mountainous regions of the West, southward into Mexico. 



153. Otus asio floridanus (Ridgw.). Florida Screech Owl. 



This form, which is restricted to the coast region, is moderately 

 abundant near settlements on plantations. The red and the gray 

 color phases are about equally abundant, for I have seen and taken 

 as many of one as the other. In different parts of Florida, however, 

 where I have spent much time in studying these birds, I have 

 found that the red phase predominates. 



The Screech Owl is nocturnal and is seldom, if ever, seen abroad 

 during the day, but as soon as the sun has set and darkness comes 

 on, its tremulous notes can be heard fully a quarter of a mile 

 away. 



The nest of this bird is placed in holes made by woodpeckers, 

 or in natural cavities of trees, from four and a half to fifty feet 

 from the ground. The eggs, generally two in number, are 

 laid early in April, and measure 1.32x1.15. A nest which I 

 found on April 9, 1895, was in a hollow of a live oak tree four and 

 a half feet from the ground, and contained two eggs. This owl 

 incubates very closely, and in order to examine the contents of 

 a nest it has to be removed by the hand before the hole can be 

 examined. Only one brood is raised, unless the eggs have been 

 taken, when the birds will lay again. 



The negroes are very superstitious in regard to this bird, and 

 should one happen to alight on the roof of one of their houses and 

 utter its doleful notes, they believe that trouble will befall them 

 or even that death will visit one of the inmates. In order to 

 make the owls leave the house the negroes turn their pockets in- 

 side out, or throw a piece of iron into the fire, and if the birds 

 happen to leave, they beUeve it due to this act. 



