375 
GENUS Scops—Savigny. 
Species of small size, with large heads and prominent ear-tufts; facial 
disc imperfect above the eyes; wings long; tail short, often with a slight 
inward carve; tarsi and toes long, and more or less covered with feathers; 
bill short and curved, almost covered by the feathers; claws long, curved 
and strong. The general form is short and compact. 
Scorps aslo—Linn—THE ScrREECH OWL. 
Wilson’s Am. Orn., pl. 19, fig. 1, and pl. 42, fig. 1; Audubon’s Birds of 
Amer., oct. ed., I., pl. 40. 
An abundant and well known species in Ohio, and one that is often 
quite familiar in its habits, approaching the house and barns often in pur- 
suit of mice and insects. The orchard is also a favorite place of resort ; 
occasionally it enters the cities and helps to rid them of small vermin. We 
were much interested two years ago in a family of these birds, that estab- 
lished itself for several weeks in our garden. Finding that the family did 
not molest them, they would sit on the fruit trees until we were within a 
few feet, and would turn their droll little heads around while looking at 
us. The garden was full of mice at the time, and the owls doubtless came 
. there to feed upon them. 
Beetles, seventeen-year locusts, and many other insects, are destroyed in 
great numbers by these owls, and our farmers should encourage their vis- 
its to the vicinity of their dwellings. They never prey on domestic ani- 
mals, and seldom, if ever, on small birds. Their cry is far from being 
pleasant, and is well known to every school-boy. The bird itself is not 
likely to be confounded with any other species belonging to our State; it 
resides with us during the whole year. The colors of the adult and young 
differ very much. The former has the whole of the upper plumage of a 
light ashy-brown, mottled and striped with brown and ash. The under 
parts are ashy-white, each feather striped with brown, and with small cross 
lines of the same color. Face, ashy-white, lined and mottled with pale- 
brown; throat and tarsi the same; wing-quills brown, with cross bars; 
tail pale brown, with many cross bars of gray; the ear-tufts are large and 
the fourth quill of the wing is longest. The young differ from the adult 
in being of a reddish-brown color, darker on the back, and almost white 
on the under parts, barred and mottled with darker brown. 
The nest of the Screech Owl is usually built in the hollow of a tree, and 
