BARN OWL. 



Family Aluconidce. BARN OWLS. 



A family related to the Goatsuckers, but sharing with 

 the other owls their characteristic habits. 



Barn Owl A southern species rarely found north o. 



Aluco pratincola L island, absolutely nocturnal in habit, 

 L. 15-18 inches , , . i* i j .1 



All the year anc * keeping itself well concealed through 



the day. Its physiognomy is triangular 

 heart-shaped rather than rounded and is singularly like 

 that of a monkey. It is very nearly related to the 

 European species Strix flammea which has an almost 

 world-wide range. The upper parts are ocher-bufif mixed 

 with gray and speckled with sepia and white, face and 

 under parts varying from white to buff with the marginal 

 feathers tipped with brown of an ocherous or ruddy tone ; 

 wings and tail barred and spotted with sepia, the eyes black. 

 Nest in barn gables, towers, and steeples. Egg white 

 unmarked. This species breeds from New York south- 

 ward into Mexico. 



The common note of this owl is an unmusical geep, geep, 

 similar to that of the Night Hawk, or else the bird on 

 extraordinary occasions lets out an unearthly, blood-curdl- 

 ing scream which entitles him to be esteemed an evil 

 creature. The poet Burns must have had just such screams 

 in mind when he wrote of circumspect Tarn o'Shanter 



"Whiles glowering around wi' prudent cares 

 Lest bogles catch him unawares, 

 Kirk-Alloway was drawing nigh, 

 Where ghaists and houlets nightly cry." 



There is no questioning the point that an owl's idea of 

 music is writ in blood and tragedy; why not? If you hap- 

 pen to have examined the contents of some seventeen owls' 

 stomachs and found therein the remains of mice* are you 

 not convinced? 



Family Strigidce. OWLS. 



In this family, aside from several structural differences, 

 is included the very obvious ones, the rounded face-disks 

 and the large external ears. 



* That is a record of Mr. Fisher's investigations. 

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