231 



at that time a vast luiinbei of owls. They had ejected the 

 bolus of hair and bones apparently of an army of tree-eating 

 destructive mice, aiding the fruit grower against one of the 

 worst and most inveterate enemies. * * * Their merits 

 would fill sheets; the demerits nil." 



THE NEST AND EGGS. 



Although it is true tliat Loug-eared owls at times do 

 ronsti'uct their own nests, I am inclined to believe that 

 these birds, in this region at least, prefer to occupy 

 the deserted nests oi other birds. I have on several 

 occasions found these owls breeding and always ob- 

 served that they occupied the abandoned nest* of 

 crows or hawks. 



Audubon says: 



"The Long-eareil Owl is careless as to the situation in which 

 its young are to be reared, and generally accommodates itself 

 With the abandoned nest of some other bird that proves of 

 sufficient size, whether it be high or low, in the fissure of a 

 rock or on the ground. Sometimes, however, it makes a nest 

 itself; and this I have found to be the case in one instance 

 near the Juniata river, in Pennsylvania, where it was com- 

 posed of green twigs, with the leaflets adhering, and lined 

 with fresh grass and wool, but without any feathers." 



The eggs of this bird vary considerably in size; a 

 small example in my possession measures about one 

 and one-half inches by one and one-fourth inches. 

 From three to five eggs are usually found in a nest. 



A BENEFICIAL SPECIES. 



Like the two previously described species this owl 

 is i)articularly servicable to the farmer and horticul- 

 turist as it preys almost entirely on field mice. It 

 never disturbs domestic fowls and but a small per- 

 centage of its diet is made up of small birds. 



Notwithstanding tlie great amount of good which 

 this speciv'.s does in keeping in check the hordes of 

 destructive rodents which do so much damage in the 



