ANDKkSON— THK HIRDS OK IOWA. 259 



"It migrates more or less in the northern parts of its range, and 

 there is an appreciable increase in the number of individuals to 

 the southward during the fall months. . . Of 39 stomachs exam- 

 ined, I contained poultry; 3, other birds; 17, mice; 17, other mam- 

 mals; 4, insects; and 7 were empty" (Hawks and Owls of the U. 

 S., 132). 



County records: Blackhawk — "rare resident" (Salisbury, Wal- 

 ters); two nests found in hollow trees in Blackhawk county" 

 (Peck). Boone — "rarely seen" (Henning). Cass — Pellett. Des 

 Moines — "rare" (Matson); female taken at Btirlington Nov. 23, 

 1895, b}- Paul Bartsch. Franklin — "noted once only" (Shoe- 

 maker). Johnson — "several seen near Iowa City, December, 

 1876, by John Williams" (Nutting, Proc. Iowa Acad. Sci., 1892); 

 mounted a female shot near Morse, Dec. 4, 1903 (Anderson). Lee 

 — "accidental" (Praeger); "rare visitant" (Currier). Linn — "a 

 pair used to breed in abandoned grain shoots or ventilators of our 

 old stone mill. This was from about 1890-93" (Kej^es); "occa- 

 sional" (Baile3'); "rare resident" (Berry). Polk — "rare resident; 

 nests" (Johnson). Webster — "few" (Somes). Poweshiek — "rare 

 accidental visitor" (Kelsey). Woodbury — -"uncommon summer 

 resident; breeds" (Rich). Wayne — (Brown). 



Family BUBONID^. Horned Owls, etc. 



The Owls are mostly woodland birds and with few exceptions 

 are nocturnal birds of prey. For this reason they feed more 

 largel}' on the smaller mammals and are therefore of even greater 

 value to the farmer than the Hawks. The structure of the Owls 

 is much like that of the Hawks, but the plumage is softer and 

 looser in texture, rendering the flight noiseless. The outer toe is 

 more perfectly reversible. The eggs of the Owls are uniformly 

 white and sub-spherical in shape. 



Genus Asio Brisson. 

 161. (366). Asw 7xn/so7iia?7 Its (Less.). American Long-eared Owl. 

 The American Long-eared Owl is a tolerably common resident 

 in most parts of the state, appearing to be rare in a few localities. 

 It is more strictly nocttirnal in its habits than most of the Owls, 

 and usually spends the da}- hidden in thick evergreens or dense 

 shrubber5\ The Long-eared Owl lays its eggs, five to seven in 



