152 THE HAWKS AND OWLS OP THE UNITED STATES. 



(lomnioii. That it does occasionally make inroads uj)on the poultry 

 yard and does more or less damage among game birds, is true; but the 

 systematic collection and examination of a large number of stomachs 

 show the exceptional character of such acts and reveal the fact that 

 the larger part of its food consists of mammals. And it is to be noted 

 that among the list are some of the most destructive rodents the 

 farmer has to contend with. If a fair balance be struck, therefore, it 

 must be considered that this Owl is on the whole beneficial, and hence 

 should occupy a place on the list of birds to be protected. 



The following species of mammals and birds were positively identi- 

 fied among the stomach contents: 



MAMMALS. Evoiomys gappei'i. 



. . , . . Scalops aquaticus. 



Jrvicola ripartus. r, 



, . , . , _ Sutiaptomiis coopert. 



Arxncola pinetorum. -.r 



„, . , . J Mus decumanus. 

 Blantia hrevtcatida, 



Tamias striatns. Biitos. 



Sciurus hudsonicus. Bonasa umbellus. 



Sciuropterus volucella, Megascops asio. 



Lepus sylvaticuH, Nyctala acadica. 



Sitomys aureolus. Melanerpes carolinua. 



Siiomys amerkanus. Passerella iliaca. 



In the South the eggs are deposited late in February or the first 

 week in March, while in the North their deposition is a month or six 

 weeks later. 



The following extract from an article by ^ J. M. W.' (Calvin Eawson), 

 of Norwich, shows that it sometimes breeds in February as far north as 

 Connecticut: "During the open Februarys, several years ago, Mr. 

 Brand and myself took eggs in winter; but of late the last of Marcli 

 sees full clutches of this bird. I have seen eggs on a solid cake of ice, 

 in a hole, and in open nests, with a foot of snow in the woods." (Orni- 

 thologist and Oologist, vol. xiii, 1888, p. 37.) 



The ovaries in some of the birds captured in southern New York 

 about the first of April were still in an undeveloped state, while other 

 birds had deposited eggs. It thus a^jpears that in the same locality the 

 pairs do not all breed at the same time. 



Tlie nest, like that of the Great Horned Owl, is situated indiscrimi- 

 nately in hollows or among the branches of trees. In the North a nest 

 among the branches is more common and, although the structure may 

 occasionally be made by the bird, the remodeled nest of the crow or 

 hawk is more often used. It is not to be understood that the use of 

 cavities in the North is at all uncommon, for probably a third of the 

 nests are so situated, while in the South an open nest is rare. This 

 species shows great fondness for a favorite nesting site, which it will oc- 

 cupy year after year even though it be habitually robbed of its eggs. 

 The eggs are usually two or three in number, although sets of four and 

 five have been taken. 



