OTUS BRACHTOTUS— THE SHORT EARED OWL. 245 



haunts in the neighborhood of rivers and swamps during 

 the whole year, and is believed to breed in the swamps of 

 Sandusky. Its food in all probability consists of small 

 quadrupeds, and perchance an occasional small bird, but of 

 the latter we have no evidence. Its small eyes, however, 

 and the habit of flying about during twilight and cloudy 

 weather, shows that it is better adapted to pursue its prey 

 during the day than most of its congeners. Occasionally 

 this Owl may be seen in considerable numbers on low lands 

 and wet meadows during the fall and winter, and may gen- 

 erally be found upon the ground or on low bushes or 

 fences. 



We obtained a specimen several years ago from the bor- 

 der of the horse shoe pond, beneath the University Heights 

 and close by the Cuyahoga River, that is now before us. 

 It is a female in mature plumage, and answers the descrip- 

 tion given by both Audubon and Cassin. The ear tufts are 

 short, and not likely to be observed, unless erected; the 

 bill short, curved, and almost covered by the bristles; wings 

 extend two inches beyond the tip of the tail, the second 

 quill the longest; tail of moderate length; tarsi and toes 

 densly feathered; entire plumage buff, darker on the back, 

 every feather with a stripe of dark brown; abdomen paler, 

 and central dark stripe narrower; legs and tarsi buff; eyes 

 surrounded by a spot of black; throat white; wing coverts 

 and secondary quills brown, with buff and reddish spots, 

 and a few bars of a like color at the tips of the larger sec- 

 ondaries; primaries brown, with large round fulvous spots 

 on the inner webs; on the inner side a few irregular dark 

 brown bars, and a distinct dark spot on the small feathers 

 that cover the base of the primary quills ; tail pale fulvous, 

 with five dark brown bars; under tail coverts white. 



Length 15 inches. 



Specimens in the Museum of the Cleveland Academy of 

 Natural Science, and likewise eggs, obtained from Chicago, 

 Illinois. 



