230 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



NYCTALA ACADICA (Gmel.). 

 103. Saw- whet Owl. (372) 



Size, snicall ; hill, l)lack ; the cere tumid, the circular nostrils presenting 

 anteriorly ; above, chocolate-brown, spotted with white, the tail with transverse 

 white bars ; facial area and forehead variegated with white, the face and 

 superciliary line grayish-white ; the lower pans, white, with streaks of the 

 color of the back. Length, Ti-S ; wing, 5i ; tail, '2§. 



Hab. — Teuipei'ate North America, breeding from the northern States and 

 southern Canada southward. 



Nest, in a hole in a tree. 



Eggs, four to six, lound. wliite. 



This is the smallest member of the family found east of the Rocky 

 Mountains. For some reason all the owls are of irregulai- occurrence 

 in the settled parts of the country. I have seen as many as six or 

 eight of this species in one winter, and again for sevei'al years have 

 not seen one. Without being migratory, in the ordinary sense of the 

 word, I think it is highly probable that during the fall these birds 

 as.sociate in groups, and move from one section of the country to 

 another in search of food. In this way a good many may be observed 

 at one point, while for many miles aiound they may be altogether 

 absent. 



The 8aw^-whet is evidently partial to a medium temperature, for 

 it is most common in the northern 8tates, and does not penetrate 

 far into British America. In the opposite direction, it has been 

 found breeding as far- south as Mexico, Init mostly in the wooded 

 mountain ranges. In Southern Ontario, these birds are most at home 

 in the thick shelter of the evergreens in the depths of the woods, but 

 when deep snow covers the grounrl, they are often found in the barn, 

 or other outhouse near the farmei-'s dwelling, where they are forced 

 to seek for food and shelter when their supply outside is cut off. 



The food of this species consists almost entii^ely of mice, which 

 renders it worthy of our friendship, although the small size of the 

 bird limits the amount of its usefulness in that direction. It takes 

 little else when mice can be had, and therefoi'e the number destroyed 

 in a season is considerable, so that we cordially endorse its position in 

 Class ^>, whei'e it has been placed. 



Occasionally, there is a small owl found, the plumage of which is 

 uniform chocolate-brown, with white eyebrows. For a time this was 

 described as a distinct species, under the name of White-fronted Owl, 

 also as Kirtland's Owl, Imt of late these names have been dropped 



