200 



BIRDS IN THEIR RELATIONS TO MAN. 



found the bodies of two English sparrows and one field- 

 mouse. 



The LONG-EARED OWL is a common and widely distributed 

 species in North America. In some parts of the Southwest 

 it is considered the most abundant of the owls ; and the tes- 

 timony of all competent observers points to the fact that it is 

 one of the most beneficial members of its family. That its 

 food consists very largely of mice is shown by the fact that 

 out of one hundred and seventy-six skulls taken by Dr. 



Fisher from beneath 

 the roosting-site of one 

 of these owls, one hun- 

 dred and thirty-seven 

 were of mice of various 

 species, while twenty- 

 six were of shrews, 

 the remaining thirteen 

 consisting of eleven 

 sparrows, one warbler, 

 and one bluebird. The 

 same observer found 

 that out of one hun- 

 dred and seven stom- 

 achs from many parts 

 of the country eighty- 

 four contained mice ; 

 five, other small mam- 

 mals ; sixteen, small 

 birds, one being a 

 quail ; while one contained insects and fifteen were empty. 

 Dr. B. H. Warren found that twenty-two out of twenty-three 

 Pennsylvania long-eared owls had eaten only mice, while the 

 twenty-third one had taken beetles and a small bird. The 

 remains of eight field-mice were taken from the stomach of 

 one specimen by Mr. Townend Glover; while in Oregon 



AMERICAN LONG-EARED OWL. 

 (After Biological Survey.) 



