OWLS. 353 



jecting stone of the wall, as much at home as in the old place. 

 From this it can be seen that its affection for locality is very 

 strong. Notwithstanding Scops's long absence, it is as tame 

 as ever, taking its food from my hand, and behaving in the 

 old manner." . . . 



d. The ordinary note of the Screech Owl is a tremulous, 

 continued hooting, repeated at short intervals. Wilson has 

 likened this to the " shivering meanings of a half frozen 

 puppy " ; it resembles somewhat the distant baying of a fox- 

 hound, though not so deep. In spring, it is varied to what is 

 more like an unearthly laugh, and it is not surprising that by 

 the superstitious this cry should be considered ill-boding ; yet 

 there is almost a fascination in listening to it. 



VI. BUBO. 



A. VIRGINIANUS. Great Horned Owl. In Massachusetts, 

 a resident throughout the year.* 



a. Extreme length, twenty-seven inches. Plumage, vari- 

 able ; but large ear-tufts and white throat-patch constant. A 

 fine specimen before me is marked with dark brown, whitish, 

 and tawny. Above, finely variegated; tail, primaries, etc., 

 distinctly barred. Beneath, more or less finely barred ; under 

 tail-coverts, pale, with a few waves of dark brown. 



b. The Great Horned Owls are said sometimes to lay their 

 eggs in the hollow of a tree, or even in the fissure of a rock. 

 Usually, however, they build a large nest of sticks, at some 

 height above the ground, next to the trunk of a pine or occa- 

 sionally of a hemlock. For this purpose, they choose some 

 dark and unfrequented wood, where in March, or even Feb- 

 ruary, they lay their eggs, three or four in number. These 

 measure 2.25 X 1.90 of an inch, or more, and are white, or 

 sometimes yellowish. 



c. The Great Horned Owls are the most spirited and de- 



* Although nowhere very numerous, Hampshire. Like all of our New 

 the Great Horned Owl breeds every- England Owls, it is to some extent 

 where in New England where there are migratory, for at times, in late autumn, 

 extensive woods of large trees. It well-marked flights are noted in east- 

 is commonest about the lakes and ern Massachusetts and elsewhere. 

 streams of northern Maine and New W. B. 



