2A. I^REWSTER 071 the Acadian Ozvl. 



about their haunts. The operation was a peculiar one. The 

 Owl would gape several times, then the head would be violently 

 shaken sideways, and finally the pellet, coated with mucous, 

 would shoot forth, frequently falling- several inches in front of the 

 spot where the bird was sitting. After it was all over the little 

 fellow assumed an expression of relief and contentment which 

 was very comical. 



Although not less grave and solemn than other Owls, their 

 movements were much more animated and restless. They were 

 continually flying or hopping from place to place, even in the day- 

 time, and they had a frequent habit of oscillating the head, at 

 the same time lengthening and shortening the neck. This was 

 apparently done for the purpose of fixing the exact position of 

 some distant object, as afterwards the bird usually flew to the 

 top of some door or book-case towards which its eyes had evi- 

 dently been directed. Their only cry at this time was a shrill 

 bat-like squeaking, which was frequently given by all four at 

 once. Altogether they were unusually interesting pets and when 

 the time came for jDreparing three of them as specimens, I found 

 it very hard to break up the aflectionate and attractive little 

 family. 



I believe it is now generally admitted by ornithologists, that 

 the so called "A^. alblfrons'''' is simply the young of TV. acadlca. 

 Indeed, Mr Ridgway satisfactorily settled this point when he 

 cited* the testimony of Dr. J. W. Velie of Chicago who kept a 

 live '•'•albifrons''' "until it moulted and became a fine specimen 

 of Nyctale acadlca.'''' But as no one seems to have published a 

 detailed account of the transition it may be worth while to briefly 

 record some observations made on the survivor of the brood just 

 mentioned. 



This bird was placed in a large cage where it had abundant 

 room to fly about, and was kept well supplied with food. 

 Through June and July there was absolutely no change in its 

 plumage, but on August i I noticed a few medially spotted 

 feathers pushing their way through the uniformly browMi ones of 

 the fore part of the crown. Through the next two weeks they 

 gradually increased and developed until the full-face aspect of the 

 head was that of an adult Saw-whet. At this stage there was no 



*Baird, Brewer and Ridgway's Birds N. Am., Vol. Ill, p. 45. 



