BIRDS OF ESSEX COUNTY. 2 1 <> 



157 [365] Strix pratincola Bonap. 

 American Barn Owl. 



Accidental visitor from the south. 



Dr. J. A. Allen states, in his Rarer Birds of Massachusetts, 1 that a Barn 

 Owl was shot in Lynn, about 1863, by James Teal. Teal was the nom-de-plume 

 of Mr. R. L. Newcomb. Mr. Maynard 2 says, in his Naturalist's Guide, that 

 " Mr. Vickery [sic] informs me that he mounted a specimen that was taken in 

 Lynn during the autumn of 1865. This is the first authentic instance of its 

 capture in this section." It is possible that both these records refer to the spec- 

 imen dated 1862, that is now in the collection of the Peabody Academy. 



There is another specimen at the Peabody Academy, a female taken at 

 Danvers near the Asylum, on October 18th, 1900, by Willis Hackett. Howe 

 and Allen 3 give the James Teal record and only four others for the State. 



I add the following note from The Nidiologist 4 : "Percy G. Bourne, of 

 Haverhill, took a set of Barn Owl's eggs identified by Webster, which is some- 

 thing rare for Massachusetts." It is probable that this is a mistake for Barred 

 Owl. 



158 [366] Asio wilsonianus (Less.). 

 American Long-eared Owl. 



Uncommon permanent resident, rather common autumn transient visitor. 



Eggs: April. 



Nearly all the specimens of this Owl that I have seen were taken either in 

 October or in November. On April 3d, 1890, Dr. A. P. Chadbourne started 

 six birds of this species that were together in the Ipswich dunes. He shot 

 one, which is now in his collection. Mr. J. A. Farley tells me that an instance 

 of the breeding of this bird in the southern part of the County in April, 1893, 

 came to his notice. 



1 J. A. Allen : Amer. Nat., vol. 3, p. 646, 1870. 



2 C. J. Maynard: The Naturalist's Guide, p. 130, 1870. 



3 R. H. Howe, Jr., and G. M. Allen : The Birds of Massachusetts, p. 72, 1901. 



'P. G. Bourne: Nidiologist, vol. I, p. 166, 1894. 



