SYRNIUM CINEREUM — THE CINEREOUS OWL. 257 



Canada, and it is very likely that this species, like the 

 Snowy Owl, should venture acioss during the winter. 



Being in Canada, and about twelve miles from London, 

 in the latter part of September, 1843, we were returning 

 home in the evening, after a day's hunting of ruffed grouse, 

 when, in passing an old beaver dam, at the lower end of a 

 swamp, where the trees were large, something that the 

 increasing darkness did not allow us to recognize at the 

 moment, swept towards us. A close shot brought it down 

 badly mutilated, the head being severed from the body, 

 the latter falling at our feet. It proved to be a fine large 

 specimen of this owl- 

 Some time during the following February, and near the 

 same place — about twelve mile- from Port Stanley — an 

 individual of the same species attacked and instantly killed, 

 a large rooster, that had previously come ofi' victor in many 

 an encounter with the hawks. The head of the gallant 

 bird was struck from its body by the owl, within a short 

 distance of the barn and in sight of the farmer. Coming 

 up a short time afterwards, the owl was pointed out sitting 

 on the trunk of a tree whose top had been blown off. The 

 first shot secured it in excellent condition; the skin, how- 

 ever, was unfortunately lost six months afterwards. 



Both these birds were lighter colored than Audubon's 

 plate, and of a bluer shade. They bore a closer resem- 

 blance to the figure of the same species in Macgillivray's 

 edition of Cuvier's Animal Kingdom^ with which they 

 were compared at the time. There were, however, no notes 

 taken that would enable a description to be given at this 

 time. 



As the Cinereous Owl will never, in all probability, be 

 a common bird in Ohio, our farmers need not be afraid of 

 its ravages. It feeds on rabbits and other small quadru- 

 peds, chickens, grouse, quiil, or any other bird that it can 

 capture. It is bold and courageous, and is a dangerous 



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