APPENDIX. 577 



NYCTALE ACADICA. Saw-Whet Owl. The following account of the 

 breeding habits of this little owl is kindly furnished me by Richard 

 Christ, of Nazareth, Pa. : 



'* This, the smallest of all our owls, is also the most rare, but a single 

 specimen being seen in a period of several years. It is very tame when 

 found, permitting one to approach very close to it before flying away. 

 I am inclined to think that it sees less in the daytime than any othei 

 species of our owls, for one can touch it without being noticed, the bird 

 taking flight more from alarm to its sense of hearing than any other 

 cause. 



It generally frequents stone quarries or piles of rocks, beneath which 

 it takes shelter ; and it is from this habit that the bird here is known by 

 the name of " stone owl." On the 25th of April, 1867, 1 was so fortunate 

 as to find the nest of one of these birds. It was placed or located in the 

 hollow of a tree, about twenty feet from the ground ; the entrance to the 

 hole was very small, scarcely two inches in diameter. On climbing the 

 tree and looking into the hollow, I discovered sitting on the bottom what 

 I supposed might be a small owl. Uncertain as to the truth, I introduced 

 a small stick into the hole, and turned the bird over upon her side, she 

 making no struggle whatever, but remaining perfectly still as if dead. 

 I discovered that she was sitting upon a single egg. Supposing that she 

 had but just commenced laying, I left her, and did not molest her again 

 for several days ; on the fifth day after, I again examined the nest, and 

 found the bird on her egg, none other having been laid. I enlarged the 

 hole, and took the egg, leaving the owl quietly sitting on the rotten chips 

 which formed the bottom of the nest. 



The egg was white, with a bluish tint, like many of the other owls' 

 eggs, nearly globular in form, and considerably smaller than the egg of 

 the Red or Mottled owl." 



CENTURUS CAROLINUS. Red-bellied Woodpecker- Given in Allen's list 

 as accidental. He " saw one, May 13, 1863 ; and it has been taken sev- 

 eral times in Connecticut, but occurs in New England only as a straggler." 

 Accidental summer visitor, and only in more southern portions. 



ARGYTRIA MACULATA. A South American Humming Bird, a single 

 individual of which was captured in Cambridge, Mass., August, 1865, 

 by Mr. William Brewster. Entirely accidental. 



TYRANNUS DOMINICENSIS. Gray King Bird. Entirely accidental ; from 

 the South. One shot in Lynn, Mass., October, 1869, by Charles I. 

 Goodale. 



EMPIDONAX FLAVIVENTRIS. Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. A not com- 

 mon spring and autumn migrant in southern, and summer resident in 



