FAMILY Bubonldx. 



ORDER RAPTORES. PREYING BIRDS. 

 Family Bubonidce. OWLS. 



This family includes a great number of species about 

 twenty of which inhabit North America. Of these the 

 Great Horned Owl, the Barred Owl, and the Screech 

 Owl furnish the most representative differences of type, 

 if not of voice. The syllables of the Barred Owl, ac- 

 cording to Mr. Chapman (and my own observations have 

 led to a similar- conclusion), are, whoo-whoo-whoo, who- 

 hoo, to-whoo-ah. The difference between this hoot and 

 that of the Great Horned Owl, whose record follows, is 

 apparent at a glance, but there is also a rising inflection 

 to the voice of the Barred Owl, which is a better point 

 of discrimination. Farther than this, from a musical 

 standpoint, it seems unnecessary to go, as Owls can 

 scarcely be classed among the song-birds. They are rap- 

 torial, and their voices convey to the ear a very tolerable 

 idea of their character. 



The Owl's eye is fixed in its socket ; as a consequence 

 the head turns around as though it were fixed upon a 

 pivot. I imagine the Owl is therefore a perfect example 

 of what, according to current slang, is termed the rubber 

 neck! 



Screech Owl It is an open question how many birds 

 Megascops asio one i s justified in including among the so- 



L '?'* inches called singers. Certainly the Screech Owl 

 All the year 



is not on the "prohibitive" list of song- 

 birds issued under the laws of the State. But to one 

 who studies bird-music there can be little doubt about 

 the Screech Owl; he deserves an important position 

 among the soloists, the quivering tremolo of his remark- 

 able voice has in it the very essence of music, the ex- 

 pression of " thoughts too deep for words" embodied in 

 tones of deepest mystery, for whether these tones are 

 properly described as dulcet or blood-curdling is alto- 

 gether a matter of opinion dependent upon the listener's 

 state of mind. 



The colors of the Screech Owl are a mixture of mottled 

 brown, chestnut, ash-gray, black and ochre, on a gray- 

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