34 THE SHORT-EARED OWL. 



making its nest on the ground, sometimes of very slight 

 construction, laying some four or five roundish dull-white 

 eggs, 1.50 x 1.30. Professor W. D. Scott, of Princeton, found 

 it around the inlet of Barnagat Bay, as a sort of counterpart 

 of the Marsh Hawk, scouring the marshes by night, while 

 the latter took its place in day-time, also breeding in the 

 same locality and on the ground. According to Dall, the 

 Short-eared Owl sometimes breeds in burrows. It seems to 

 be common to Europe, Asia, Greenland, America and the 

 West Indies. 



Sometimes found in the woods, but generally adhering to 

 swamps and marshes, this species is wont^to rest on the 

 ground during the day, and if startled flies up in a hurried 

 and "zigzag" manner, "as if suddenly awakened from 

 sound sleep," and sailing along rather low, drops down out 

 of sight again. Mr. W. Brewster found these Owls preying 

 upon the Terns on Muskegat Island. " A small colony of 

 these birds had established itself upon a certain elevated 

 part of the island, spending the day in a tract of densely- 

 matted grass. Scattered about in this retreat were the 

 remains of at least a hundred Terns that they had killed 

 and eaten. Many of these were fresh, while others were in 

 every stage of decomposition, or dried by the sun and wind. 

 In each case the breast had been picked clean, but in no 

 instance was any other portion disturbed. Every day, at a 

 certain time, these Owls sallied forth in search of fresh prey. 

 We used regularly to see them about sunset, sailing in cir- 

 cles over the island or beating along the crests of the sand- 

 hills. They were invariably followed by vast mobs of 

 enraged Terns, which dived angrily down over the spot 

 where the Owl had alighted, or strung out in the wake of 

 its flight like the tail of a comet. The Owl commonly paid 

 little attention to this unbidden following, and apparently 



