THE ACADIAN OWL. 89 



gather, and so perfectly still, as to require quite an effort 

 to define them to the eye. They were a weird sight. 

 The plumage was soft and downy, the color cold gray, thus 

 refuting the theory that the red garb, in which this bird is 

 often found, is the immature dress. The same species seems 

 to be sometimes red, and sometimes gray, independent of 

 age or sex. 



In the latter part of June, the same year, on entering the 

 woods at late twilight, a bird flew at my head, uttering a 

 hoarse, guttural scream, followed by a sharp snapping of 

 the bill. It proved to be a Screech Owl, probably a parent 

 bird, with young near by. 



Including a number of varieties, this Owl inhabits North 

 America at large. 



THE ACADIAN OWL. 



The Acadian Owl (Nyctale acadicd) or Saw-whet, as it is 

 sometimes called, from its peculiar, rasping note, sounding 

 like the filing of a saw, is not infrequently found here; but 

 is, apparently, not nearly so common as Scops asio. It 

 must breed here, as it is resident, and I have seen the young 

 taken in Orleans County. The male of this pigmy of its 

 race averages some 7.25, length; some 19.50 in extent. The 

 female is about an inch longer, and every way larger in pro- 

 portion. With head proportionately large, round, untufted, 

 and facial disks complete, the adult is fine, clear brown 

 above, scapulars and wing coverts marked with white, and 

 an under-surface ring of the same around the back of the 

 head; outside and inside web of primaries, and inside web 

 of the secondaries, white-spotted; tail tipped with white, 

 and having several cross-lines of spots of same; space 

 around the bill generally, and above and below the eye, 

 white or yellowish-white; top of the head, auriculars and 

 sides of neck streaked with white; and clear white arcs 



