OWLS 255 



commonly, fNash). Penobscot ; generally distributed resident, commonest 

 in fall, (Knight); Piscataquis; abundant, breeds, (Homer). Sagadahoc; 

 common spring and fall, (Spinney). Somerset ; not common resident, 

 (Morrell). Waldo; rare resident, (Knight). Washington; abundant resi- 

 dent, (Boardman). 



These are woodland birds and may be found in small groves 

 occasionally but more often in extensive tracts of woods, 

 especially in the large tracts of forest covering northern Maine. 

 Here at night their querying call "whoo-whoo-whoo-whoo" or 

 "to-whit-tu-whoo" may be heard frequently repeated through- 

 out the months of March, April and May, and less often at 

 other seasons, but still heard throughout the year on calm still 

 nights. Some of the shrill shrieks which are variously attributed 

 to the banshee or the wail of an expiring soul uttered in the 

 deep woods are attributable to these birds. They also utter 

 sometimes a whining sound and violently snap their beaks 

 when teased or angered or when their nest is in danger. 



They nest in the larger natural cavities of trees along water- 

 ways or clearings, or very exceptionally take possession of an old 

 Crow's or Hawk's nest. They lay from two to four, more often 

 two or three white eggs. Two taken March 27, 1894, from a 

 cavity in a dead elm fifteen feet up measure 1.98 x 1.76, 2.00 x 

 1.72. These eggs were laid on the rotton wood at the bottom 

 of the hole. The same nesting place is occupied year after year. 



The chief food is mice, squirrels, various small mammals, 

 snakes, frogs, grasshoppers, and very rarely small birds, poultry 

 or game birds. Once I saw a dead one brought into a taxider- 

 mist's shop which smelt very strongly of skunk, and the bird in 

 question was unusually emaciated, so that it seems possible that 

 driven by hunger it had at least made an attempt to kill a skunk. 



Genus SCOTIAPTEX. Swainson. 



370. Scotiaptex nehulosa (Forster). Great Gray Owl; 

 Cinereous Owl. 



Plumage : face gray with black bars ; above fuscous with white mottlings ; 

 below white, streaked on breast and streaked and barred on belly and sides 

 with fuscous. Wing 15.50 to 17.75. 



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