Brewster on the Acadian Owl. 23 



the swamp, in immense numbers. A thorough exploration of the swamp 

 would no doubt have added largely to the list of Water Birds, but I could not 

 afford the time and labor necessary to accomplish even a partial explora- 

 tion after the birds had begun breeding. 



NOTES ON THE HABITS AND CHANGES OF PLUM- 

 AGE OF THE ACADIAN OWL {Nl'CTALE ACA- 

 DICA), WITH SOME ADDITIONAL RECORDS OF 

 ITS BREEDING IN MASSACHUSETTS. 



BY WILLIAM BRKWSTER. 



In the Bulletin for July, iSSi. I ji^ave an account of the breed- 

 ing of the Acadian Owl at Tyngsboro', Massachusetts, with a de- 

 scription of a set of eggs taken there by Mr. Perhani on April 5. 

 Early in Jime of the same season Mr. Perham sent me a brood of 

 four young Saw-whets which he had taken from the nest about 

 the 15th of the preceding month. They were all in the plumage 

 of JV. '■^albifi'oiis" and showed little individual variation, save 

 in respect to size, the two females being slightly larger than their 

 brothers. In their fresh, silky feathering they were beautiful 

 little creatures, the warm sepia-brown of the upper parts harmon- 

 izing well with the rich fulvous beneath, and their white foreheads 

 showing in strong contrast with both. Nor were their manners 

 less engaging than their plumage, for, unlike most Owls, they 

 were perfectly gentle from the tirst. never attempting to bite o»- 

 scratch those who handled them. With each other they were really 

 aflectionate, often going through a caressing performance with 

 their bills, and showing a mutual forbearance at meal-times which 

 was very pleasing. They eat all kinds of meat with avidity, but 

 seemed especially fond of mice. The latter were invariably 

 skinned and the flesh torn in shreds and devoured, the skins being 

 swallowed afterwards as dessert. I often saw them eject those 

 peculiar pellets of bones, fur, and other indigestable fragments 

 which all Owls and many Hawks are in the habit of depositing 



