104 SCREECH OWI MOTTLED OWL— RED OWL. 



commonest Owls in North America, it seems strange that Mr. 

 Downs should not meet it in Nova Scotia, especially as it frequents 

 the States bordering on the Atlantic more than those inland." 



From the foregoing records we cannot but conclude that the 

 red stage of the Mottled or Screech Owl is of rare occurrence in 

 Canada. The ordinary or gray stage, however, may be said to 

 be pretty generally diffused. It is just possible that the plumages 

 of these birds " are purely fortuitous, and characteristic of neither 

 sex, age, nor season," as remarked by Coues, but I am more 

 inclined to believe that the red stage is that occasionally assumed 

 by young individuals but never by really adult birds. Wilson 

 described the gray Mottled Owl as Strix lurvia, and the red as 

 Strix asio, and a number of ornithologists still regard these as 

 specifically distinct birds. This view, however, has long ago 

 been abandoned by our leading authorities. Color being the only 

 distinctive difference, is not sufficient grounds for the separation 

 of the species. It is true that Wilson mentions the Mottled Owl 

 {luevia) as a native of the northern regions, extending its migra- 

 tions as far south as Pennsylvania in winter, and states the " Red 

 Owl " [asio) is not migratory. But these distinctions go for naught 

 when we explain that our extended knowledge now proves that 

 the species is not by any means a " native of the northern regions," 

 not having been met with in the fur countries, being comparatively 

 rare in Canada, while it is known to be most numerous along the 

 States on the Atlantic coast, and southward to Georgia, and Florida. 

 It also occurs in Mexico and Guatemala. In California it is given 

 by Dr. Cooper as " quite common in the wooded parts of the 

 State, and often captured in houses." 



The specimens figured on the accompanying Plate represent 

 birds in both stages of plumage — the red being the outside figure. 

 They were taken in the vicinity of Cote St. Paul, on the Lachine 

 canal, a short way out of Montreal, where the gray birds are said 

 to be not unfrequent. I am convinced that it is entirely owing to 

 its nocturnal habits that this Owl is so seldom met with ; but 

 Reeks goes a long way to the other extreme when he states that 

 it " is one of the commonest Owls of North America." 



