OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. 219 



there is good reason to believe that they will be discovered 

 in decayed trees, or in the excavations of the Red-headed 

 Woodpecker, or in those of other species of the Picidce. 



The food of this species consists of small quadrupeds, 

 small birds, and various species of coleopterous, lepidop- 

 terous and orthopterous insects. The following list will 

 convey some idea of its voluminous bill of fare : Mus 

 muscuhis, Arvicola Gappcri* A. riparia, Hesperomys 

 leucopus* If. Nuttalli) Jaculus hudsonius^ among rodents ; 

 Melospizamelodia, Juncohyemalis, Sialia sialis, Spizella 

 socialis, S, monticola^ and manv of the Sylvicolidce, 

 among birds : Lucanus dauia. Cratonychus cinereus, 

 I la r pal us caliginosns. LacJiuosterna quercina, Prionus 

 laticollis, Stcnocorus -cillosns* and other coleoptera ; 

 CvrtophyHus concavus, PJiycloptera oblongifolia* Cono- 

 cephalus ensiger^ (Edipoda Carolina, (E. sulphurea* among 

 orthoptera ; and 7 elea polyphemus, Anisopteryx vernata, 

 Zercne catenaria, Catocalcc., Citheronia regalis, Eades 

 i ni perl alis, and other lepidoptera. Captain Bland of Hali- 

 fax once placed this Owl in an apartment with a rat, which 

 it fell upon and killed, but died itself afterwards from sheer 

 exhaution. From this statement it is doubtful whether 

 quadrupeds as large as a rat constitute any part of its bill 

 of fare. We think not. 



This Owl is frequently kept in confinement, and is known 

 to become exceedingly tame. It will permit strangers as 

 well as its keeper to handle it with the utmost freedom 

 without so much as resenting such familiarity. But it man- 

 ifests a greater attachment for its master, whom it is able to 

 recognize by the sound of the voice, and in whose presence 

 it is peculiarly fascinating and agreeable. 



Fond of sequestered situations generally, it. however, does 

 not in all cases restrict its visits thereto. It has been known 

 to enter large cities. Audubon cites an instance where an 

 individual had entered a house in Cincinnati, and was 

 perched upon the edge of a child's cradle. 



