I08 PROCEEDINGS MANCHESTER INSTITUTE 



necticut valley in winter, and at Colebrook, a Mr. Norton ('83) 

 records three secured in the flight of 1883-84. There was a 

 considerable flight along the coast during the winter of 1901-02, 

 and several were killed near Portsmouth. In the White Moun- 

 tains, I have only very rarely known of their presence in win- 

 ter. Mrs. Celia Thaxter ('70, p. 209) speaks of this owl as a 

 frequent winter visitant to the Isles of Shoals, where it feeds 

 largely upon the numerous rats on the islands. " Several 

 snowy owls," she writes, "haunt the islands the whole winter 

 long. I have never heard them cry like other owls ; when dis- 

 turbed or angry, they make a sound like a watchman's rattle, 

 very loud and harsh, or they whistle with intense shrillness, 

 like a human being." 



Dates : (October 10) November 3 to March 4 ; (July 15). 



125. Surnia ulula caparoch (Mull.). AMERICAN HAWK 

 OWL. 



A rare and irregular visitant in late fall and winter. During 

 the late fall of 1884, an unusual flight of these birds occurred 

 over northern New England, of which Mr. William Brewster 

 ('85) has given an account. During this flight, the birds were 

 noted commonly at Colebrook, and four were shot at Lake Um- 

 bagog. The records for the state, so far as known to me, are 

 as follows : Colebrook, during the flight mentioned above, Mr. 

 Ned Norton found them common here, and writes ('84b) under 

 date of December i : " I v ess than one inch of snow now. Hawk 

 Owls came three weeks ago in greater numbers than ever be- 

 fore. Farmers' sons have been killing them ail over the coun- 

 try." The same observer states that on April 20, 1884 ('84a), 

 he observed a Hawk Owl near Colebrook with a mouse in its 

 claws. Lake Umbagog, four were secured by Mr. William 

 Biewster ('85) during the 1884 flight, on the dates October 25, 

 October 31, November 15 and November 16 respectively. Meri- 

 den, a specimen in the mounted collection of the Boston Soci- 

 ety of Natural History is labeled as having come from near this 

 town. Mil ford, two specimens from this vicinity have been 

 mounted by Mr. J. P.jMelzer in years past. Nashua, one was 

 taken by a Mr. O. H. Phillips, formerly a taxidermist, near this 



