206 NOTES ON THE 



followed up to the birds themselves, which had been obtained 

 from the nest in the Big Woods. They were able to fly a little 

 only, and were therefore easily caught, and soon became tame. 

 I have had no late additions to my specimens secured, but I 

 have settled it that although not largely represented, they are a 

 regular summer resident, lingering until quite late in November 

 in some sections heavily timbered, but I cannot find that any 

 remain through the winters. Their plumage is not of sufficient 

 density to protect them in high latitudes. The breeding places 

 here are, as far as I have been able to ascertain, more fre- 

 quently in the coarse reeds of dry marshes where the musk- 

 rats have formerly built their houses, on the remains of which 

 the eggs are dropped with little if any attempt at building a 

 nest. But in one case the brooding place was in a rather 

 superficial hole in the side of a bank of earth a few feet in 

 height. The eggs are four in number, purely white and nearly 

 of the same measurements in either direction. Incubation 

 begins variously from April 20 to May 10, according to the 

 locality and the season. 



In September, 1891, through the kindness of Mr. J. Fletcher 

 Williams, of St. Paul, I received a letter from Dr. Chas. A. 

 Gray, of Waterville, describing three birds of some new species 

 that had been found in a hollow tree in the vicinity, which from 

 a photograph accompanying proved them to be the Barn Owl. 

 but so strikingly like the European that I asked for further 

 descriptions in the way of measurements, &c., which settled it 

 specifically as the American Barn Owl. A more comical group 

 of birds I never saw, and I am under much obligation to Dr. 

 Gray for it. 



My observations of this species in California for 17 years, 

 have confirmed me in the conviction that it is not particular 

 where it has its nest; for they occupy the holes of the ground 

 squirrels, a hole in the rocks, where such are easily found, but 

 preferably a hollow tree, no matter how deep the cavity, if of suf- 

 ficient diameter to readily turn about in. That it is a much more 

 common bird in Minnesota than I have felt at liberty to record 

 it I strongly suspect, but its nocturnal habits must leave a doubt 

 about that till more extensive observations have been made. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 



Entire upper parts pale fawn color or tawny brownish-yel- 

 low, frequently very pale, nearly every feather with a small 

 sub terminal black spot, succeeded by another of white; under 

 parts generally pale fawn color, but frequently a pure white 



