52 Coolidge, Notes on the Screech Owl. [jan* 



doubtless have been obtained by further experiment. The birds 

 scolded the owl harshly with their usual calls, but they often dis- 

 appeared shortly, leaving the field to the Chickadees and Robins, 

 which never tired of abusing him. The most vehement bird was 

 a Wood Thrush, which dashed back and forth, passing so close 

 to his head that he snapped savagely in defense at each attack. 

 Blue Jays, even when I was at a distance, seemed to pay no atten- 

 tion to the scolding of the smaller birds. Scarlet Tanagers, and 

 also to my surprise, Kingbirds and Flickers, refused to be inter- 

 ested. The owl watched his slanderers sharply and steadily. 

 A pair of young Broad-winged Hawks, although of the usual 

 tameness of the species, seemed to ignore the owl, which stiffened 

 on seeing them against the sky, but failed to see them among trees. 



To mounted birds my owl paid no attention unless they were 

 moved. A mounted crow gave him much misery. When he 

 first saw the crow moved, he would stiffen and erect his ears; 

 then, as the crow was brought nearer he would fly unless cornered. 

 In such strait he would order the crow to keep away by snapping 

 his bill, ruffling himself into a mass of bristling feathers, from 

 which would glare two fiery, blinking eyes, and most character- 

 istically by giving a long-drawn oooo, in the voice of the "Hoot" 

 Owl. His throat would swell much with this call. If the crow 

 became too lively, the owl would fly, aiming first at the crow's 

 head and then passing on. If the crow were made to peck him, 

 he would snap his bill sharply, but would do nothing more. 



Moulting, which was first noticeable on July 31, gave the bird 

 his adult plumage and showed him to be of the gray phase. As 

 the old feathers became more and more thin and shabby, the 

 bright, compact, new plumage showed through, on the under 

 parts first. The moulting was not entirely complete when I last 

 saw him on August 21. 



Though the owl showed intelligence in some ways, the fiercer 

 qualities of a bird of prey remained unchanged. He was as ready 

 to scold at one's approach, to bite if handled, and to escape at 

 night on the last day of his captivity as on the first. In the day- 

 time, if one approached his cage so slowly as not to ruffle his feel- 

 ings, he would watch from his sleepy eyes, now and then swinging 

 his head a little, so drowsily as to seem well-disposed. When 



