231 



at that time a vast number of owls. They had ejected the 

 bolus of hair and bones apparently o( an army of tree-eating 

 destructive mice, aiding the fruit grower against one of the 

 worst and most inveterate enemies. • ♦ • Their merits 

 would till sheets; the demerits nil." 



THJi NJCST AND I'JGGS. 



Although it is true that Loiig-eai-ed owls at times do 

 construct Iheir own nesls, T am inclincMl to believe that 

 these birds, in this region at least, prefer to occupy 

 the deserted nests O'f other birds. I have on several 

 occasions found these owls brecdiiio ainl always ob 

 served that they oc-iipicd llic aliaiidmird uest.s of 

 crows or ha\\ks. 



Audubon says: 



"The Long-eared Owl is careless as to the situation in wliich 

 Its young are to be reared, and generally accommodates itself 

 with the abandoned nest of some other bird that proves of 

 sufficient size, whether it be high or low, in the fissure of a 

 roclt or on the ground. Sometimes, however, it makes a nest 

 itself; and tliis I have found to be the case in one instance 

 near the Juniata river, in Pennsylvania, wliere it was com- 

 posed of green twigs, with the leaflets adhering, and lined 

 with fresli grass and wool, but without any feathers." 



The eggs O'f this bird vary considerably in size; a 

 small example in my possession measures about one 

 and one-lialf inches by one and one-fourth inches. 

 From Ihiee In live eggs are usually found in a nest. 



A iiENEFICIAL SPEClIiS. 



Like the two previously described species this owl 

 is particularly servicable to the farmer and horticul- 

 turist as it preys almost entirely on field mice. It 

 never disturbs domestic fowls and but a small per- 

 centage of its diet is made up of small birds. 



Notwithstanding the great amoinil of good whicl: 

 this species does in ki-e|iino in chcrk I lie hordes of 

 destructive rodents which do so iinicli damao,. in lli" 



