213 



The note of the Fish navv^s a high, rapidly repented, plaintive 

 whistle. 



FAMILY STRIQID^E. BARN OWLS. 



The Barn Owls, numbering some eight or ten species, are found 

 nearly throughout the temperate and tropical regions. They differ 

 from other Owls in structure, but share with them the characteristic 

 habits of the suborder Striges. 



365. Strix pratincola Bonap. AMERICAN BARN OWL; MONKEY- 

 FACED OWL. (See Fig. 30.) Ad. Upper parts mixed gray and ochraeeous- 

 buft', finely speckled with black and white; tail varying from white to ochra- 

 ceous-buft', generally mottled with black, and sometimes with three or four 

 narrow black bars ; under parts and facial disk varying from pure white to 

 deep ochraceous-butf, the former generally with numerous small, black, round 

 spots, the facial disk narrowly margined by ochraceous-buff or rufous ; eyes 

 black. L., 18-00 ; W., 13-25 ; T., 5-50 ; B., 1'30. 



Range. North America ; occasionally found as far north as Massachu- 

 setts, and breeds from Long Island southward through Mexico. 



"Washington, not rare P. K. Sing Sing, A. V. 



Nest, in a tower or steeple, a hole in a tree or bank. Eggs, five to nine, 

 1-72 x 1-30. 



The Barn Owl conceals itself so well during the day that, in my 

 experience, it is a difficult bird to observe, even in localities where it is 

 common. For this reason the capture of one of these odd-visaged 

 birds is frequently the cause of much excitement over the supposed 

 discover^ of an animal entirely new to science, and which, by the local 

 press, is generally considered half bird, half monkey ! 



The only notes I have ever heard from the Barn Owl are a sudden 

 wild, startling scream, a high, rapidly repeated cr-r-ree, cr-r-ree, 

 cr-r-ree, and. in captive birds, a hissing sound ; but Captain Bendire 

 mentions " a feeble, querulous note like quaek-quaek, or dek-dek, 

 sounding somewhat like the call of the Night Hawk (Chordeiles vir- 

 ginianus), frequently repeated, only not so loud." 



" Of 29 stomachs examined, 1 contained poultry ; 3, other birds ; 

 17, mice; 17, other mammals; 4, insects; and 7 were empty" (Fisher). 



FAMILY BTJBONIDJE. HORNED OWLS, HOOT OWLS, ETC. 



Owls are found in all parts of the world. About two hundred spe- 

 cies are known, of which some twenty inhabit North America. With 

 few exceptions Owls are woodland birds, but some species live in 

 grassy marshes or dry plains, while others make their home in towers, 

 steeples, or outbuildings. Owls are nocturnal birds of prey, and for 



