812 SJNCWY OL. 



banks of shallow rivers, over the surface of which 

 he slowly sails, or sits on a rock a little raised 

 above the water, watching for fish. These he 

 seizes with a sudden and instantaneous stroke of 

 the foot, seldom missing his aim."* By some, 

 the nest is described as built on the ledges of pre- 

 cipitous rocks. Dr Richardson says, " it makes 

 its nest on the ground, and lays three or four white 

 eggs/' The nest may be differently placed in 

 different localities ; thus the same author records 

 the Long-eared Owl as sometimes breeding on the 

 ground in North America. 



The plumage of this Owl will be shortly de- 

 scribed, the adult birds in the full breeding 

 plumage having a much greater proportion of 

 white. In almost all states, however, except that 

 of the nestling plumage, the face, throat, under 

 sides of the wings, and legs, are pure white ; the 

 plumes clothing the face, and covering the base of 

 the bill, have the webs much disunited, and are 

 long and rather rigid; the nostrils, and almost 

 all except the tip of the bill, is concealed, and 

 under the chin, the feathers close to the under 

 mandible fold up, and in a manner half to conceal 

 it also; those covering and behind the ears, are 

 remarkably close, somewhat downy, and form a 

 snft and close protection. The whole plumage 



* Wilson's North American Ornithology. 



