221 



tract i-d. It i capable of rapid flight, anil, according to . \uduhon, is 

 able to cap! tin- l>u<-k. 1'igeon-, and r\ni (inm-.- on tin- wing, -inking 

 tin-in ilnwii after tin- iniiiiMiT of tin- l>nek Hawk. 



of 38 stomarh- . \aMnn. . I, 2 contained game birds; 0, other 

 liinls; 1*, mi.-!- ; -J, other mammals; inul I 1 .' were empty " (Fisher). 



377. Surnia ulula caparoch i Mull.). AMKKU-AN HAWK OWL. 



medium ; n ear tuft.-; up|*T parts ilurk grayish brown or funcoiu; 

 heud ami hind luck .-|.tted with white.; Imck, uml es|*-ciully t. rtial*. burred 

 willi while; tail with broken whitish' burn, l<uj uml n>uii,t,il, the outer 

 frutlirr* more thuii nil iiu-li nhoru-r than the middle ones; middle of the 

 throat with fuscous spot uixl In-low it u wliitc "in- ; nidet* of tin- neck and 

 upp-r brcatt rtreakfd w it! ' of tin- tindi-r part* lmrn-d with fiuooua 



and white; \eg* and fi-ct fully fi-utlu-n-d. I... l.Vmi; \V.. ^ ;:, ; '['., 7 _:.. 



Kaitgt. Breed* front Ncwtoiin<llan<l imrthwunl, and <*vaioaally wandere 

 southward in winter u fur UM IVnn>\ Ivuniu. 



in onitVrou.s trt-i-s or in tin- holt-* f drud tn-.--. or >tut. /.;/./*, three 

 to neveo, 1-50 x : 



The Hawk Owl is strictly diurnal, as much so as any of the 

 Hawks, and like some of them often selects a tall Miih or dead-topped 

 tri-0 in a compnrHtivfly O|H-M place for n jH-rch, win-re it sits in the 

 bright sunlight watching for its prey. 



14 Although the flight is swift and hawklike, it has nevertheless 

 the soft, i liaractcr common to the other Owls ; whrn ,-tarting 



from any high place, such as the top of a tree, it usually pitches down 

 nearly to the ground, and flies off rapidly al>ovc the tops of the bushes 

 or high grass, abruptly arising apiin a- it seeks another perch. 



"The note is a shrill cry, which is uttered generally while the bird 

 is on the wing " (Fisher). 



378a. Speotyto cunicularia floridana /.'/./;/. KI.I>KIDA Bi R- 

 niwi.\i. Owi.. Ad. SUM xinull: no rar tuft.- ; /-;/" nn,l f,,t itntrly >uik<,l ; 

 U|)|HT |>rti* grayish hniw n, i|H.ttr.l und Imrrcd with whitr; throat white, n--t 

 of th<- under part* barred with irniyi.-li brown an.l white- in alxiut ti)iial 

 amount*. L.. VHH); W.. ;:.>; T.. :^>: Tar., I-;:.. 



ttamjt. Southeni Florida, ehietly in the Kis-innnei pruiric" region of 

 Onceola, Polk, and Ii- Solo <'oiintie-, and also Manatee County. 



in a hole in the ground excavaU-d by the bird. A;/-/*, five to seven, 

 1-S3 x 1-08. 



^ This diurnal Owl is locally abundant in its restricted range. Kx- 

 cellent accounts of its habits will W found umler the following n-fer- 

 s: Rhoads. Auk, ix. IHX>. pp. i-S; S..tt. ibid.. .'Ui-'JlS; Hendire, 

 Life Histories North American Minis, pp. 400-402. 



The Hi KitowiNi. OWL i .f r.V. Sj'tittytn runicularia Ay/xw/.ru i, Well known 

 ill uur Western Stattat, has U-en taken miee in Mamiachuaetta, 



