250 SCOPS ASIO — THE SCREECH OWL. 



Beetles, Seventeen Year Locusts and many other insects 

 are destroyed in great numbers by these owls, and our 

 farmers should encourage their visits to the vicinity of 

 their dwellings. They never prey on domestic animals, 

 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 

 grey. 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 

 the under parts, barred and mottled with darker brown. 



The nest of the Screech Owl is usually built in the hol- 

 low of a tree, and is composed of grass, hay and feathers. 

 The eggs are of a pure white, nearly round, as are those of 

 all owls with which we are acquainted, and four in number. 

 A hollow apple tree is sometimes selected as the nesting- 

 place. 



This bird is strictly a night flier, and its whole aspect is 

 changed when the shades of evening fall. Instead of the 

 solemn appearance which it exhibits in day time, there is 

 the greatest activity and energy. 



Length from 9 to 10 inches. 



Specimens in the Museum of the Cleveland Academy of 

 Natural Science. 



