OWLS. 343 



pens, they are driven out and rabbled by the Crows. They 

 are easily approached in a strong light, as their vision is de- 

 pendent upon darkness, but they usually roost in thick swamps, 

 or dark and unfrequented woods of evergreen. At dusk they 

 become active, and silently hunt for their prey, sometimes 

 flying over fields and meadows, and sometimes perching to 

 watch for it. Their hearing is no less acute than their sight. 

 They feed upon small birds and quadrupeds, or even large 

 insects. They are unsocial, and generally lead a solitary life, 

 but Wilson speaks of seven being found in one tree. 



d. I have never heard them utter any notes, and they are 

 probably silent except during the season of love. Audubon, 

 however, says : " When encamped in the woods, I have fre- 

 quently heard the notes of this bird at night. Its cry is pro- 

 longed and plaintive, though consisting of not more than two 

 or three notes repeated at intervals." 



B. ACCIPITRINUS. Short-eared Old. Marsh Owl. A 

 resident of Massachusetts, most abundant near the sea.* 



a. About fifteen inches long. Ear-tufts, inconspicuous. 

 General colors, dark brown, and fulvous whitening beneath 

 (on the belly, wings, etc.). Chiefly streaked, but on the tail, 

 primaries, etc., etc., barred (and slightly mottled). Eyes com- 

 pletely encircled by black. 



b. The nest is a rather slovenly structure, built on the 

 ground, most often in rather wet places. The eggs of each 

 set are usually four, averaging about 1.50 X 1-30 of an inch. 



* An early spring and late autumn is not to be found near Boston during 



migrant, regularly common and some- the months of January and February, 



times actually abundant on the marshes That it formerly nested at several 



and sand hills of the New England places on the Massachusetts coast is 



coast. It occurs throughout the in- open to no doubt. At various times 



terior, also, but seldom, if ever, in between 1869 and 1878 I found it very 



any numbers. Although writers have common in June, July, and August on 



very generally asserted that this Owl Nantucket and Muskegat ; but Mr. 



regularly spends the winter in Massa- George H. Mackay tells me that it is 



chusetts, I have yet to see a specimen no longer seen in summer on these 



taken here at that season, and our local islands. I know of no authentic rec- 



taxidermists (whose experience, for ob- ord of its breeding in any part of New 



vious reasons, is well-nigh conclusive England within the past ten years. 



on such a point) agree that the bird W. B. 



