ELEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT. 



169 



BARN OWL. 



The American Barn Owl ranges over almost the whole of the 

 United States and Mexico, but does not nest north of Long Island, 

 Nebraska and California. It is one of the most nocturnal of the 

 owls, and is seldom seen by day. If by chance one is caught in 

 the daylight, it seems almost too dazed to fly. and with eye-lids 

 shut to narrowest slits, it waits patiently for the relief of twilight. 



Its utterances are varied. The luost startling is a wild, high 

 scream — cr-r-r-ee !, but in its nest it utters a snoring sound with its 

 beak closed, and hisses when disturbed. I have known this owl, 

 when flying about at twilight, to click its beak repeatedly, perhaps 

 as a signal to its mate, as it was not feeding upon insects at 

 the time. 



It is difficult to define the nesting site of a barn owl. It mav 



