SUPPLEMENT TO BIRDS OF ESSEX COUNTY m 



wich: one on December i6, 1906, and one on February 18, 1917. On the occasion 

 of the excursion of the American Ornithologists' Union to the Ipswich dunes on 

 November 16, 1917, one Short-eared Owl was good enough to show himself. 



On March 11, 1917, I took Dr. A. A. Allen, of Ithaca, to the Ipswich dunes 

 and we were treated with the unusual sight for Essex County of five and possibly 

 six Short-eared Owls. They were seen flying about the dunes or sitting in 

 elevated positions in the beach-grass back of the beach. In the latter position 

 their colors and shape made them very difficult to see and they were easily mis- 

 taken for stumps or posts with patches of white sand, lichen, or snow on them. 

 After being deceived several times. Dr. Allen and I both were willing to consider 

 a certain obvious stump to be an owl, but after deciding that it was not one, the 

 " stump " opened its wings and flew away ! 



Although the ground seems to be their usual perch, I have seen one on a 

 post as related in the original Memoir, and once in a tree, very erect. 



The flight is by alternate flapping and sailing with tail spread. 



I have yet to hear it utter a sound. 



165 [368] Strix varia varia Barton. 

 Barred Owl. 



Uncommon permanent resident, at times common in the autumn. 



This bird of the wise and benevolent countenance has of late years occa- 

 sionally taken up its residence in winter in Boston, where it subsists on the Eng- 

 lish Sparrows whose populous roosts are at once broken up, and each sparrow 

 shifts for itself at night. Whether this has occurred in any of the cities of Essex 

 County I do not know. 



166 [370] Scotiaptex nebulosa nebulosa (J. R. Forst.). 

 Great Gray Owl. 

 Very rare and irregular winter visitor. 



I have one more record to add to the previous list for the County, making 

 eight records in all. This was a bird shot on January 6, 1894, in the Great Swamp 

 at Amesbury. The specimen, found in Mr. Damsell's collection, has been acquired 

 by the Boston Society of Natural History.^ 



1 Allen, G. M. Auk, vol. 30, p. 25, 1913. 



