2-M\ 



LOXC K.\1{KI> OWT. 



Asiii wilsiiniamis. 



Ear tufts of eisht or ten featliers. are long and conspicuous; 

 eyes yellow and quite small. ITpper parts dusky, mottled 

 with .?ray. fulvous and l:)rownis'h black; abdomen white; under 

 parts generally grayish-white, with transverse and longitudinal 

 stiipes of Slack, brown and reddish-brown; feet and legs red- 

 dish-brown and upspotted; bill and claws black. 



Female measures about 15 inches in length; extent of wings 

 about 38. Male rather smaller. 



Habitat — Temperate North America. Resident in Pennsyl- 

 vania. 



Owing to the fact that these birds oftentimes con- 

 ceal thomselves during (he daytime in cedar trees, the 

 local appellation of "Cedar Owl" has arisen. The* 

 Long-eared owl is a resident and one of the most 

 abundant of the owl tribe in this State. While most 

 owls, in (his region at least, usually lead a solitary 

 life or associate in pairs, we find the subject of this 

 .sketch to be social and gregarious, associating often 

 in parties of from twelve to twenty-five individuals. 

 In winter if not molested (liey frequently take up a 

 residence in the dark retreats furnished by the nuiuer 

 ous coniferous trees gi'owiiig around the habitations 

 of man. 



ni';siiiAr.i,E visrroits. 

 In relation to a party of these owls Dr. '\Vm. H. 

 Stavely, Lahaska, Pa., says: 



"For over twenty years I have had congregated in my lawn 

 from fifty to seventy-five owls. They are peaceable and quiel; 

 only on rare occasions would you know one was about. On 

 dull days and foggy evenings they were flying about in all di- 

 rections. Never in all that time have I missed any poultry 

 or have they inflicted any injury on anything of value. The 

 first I noticed of their presence was the discovery of quite a 

 pile of what appeared to b? mice hair and hones, and on inves- 

 tigation found the Norway fir was the roosting place of to me 



