THE SAW- WHET AND OTHER OWLS. 225 



year, not merely as visitors but as residents. They nest 

 in the hollow apple-trees of my neighbor's orchard, and 

 once a nest was built in a remnant of a " leaf -nest " of a 

 gray squirrel. But one brood, I think, is raised. 



Young birds of the characteristic, uniform, chocolate- 

 brown color are as common as those with the mottled 

 plumage of adult life. The plumage, in fact, varies much 

 more in this species than with the little screech or red 

 owl. The latter may be red or gray ; but the saw-whets 

 vary indefinitely as to the degree of mottling. Particu- 

 larly is this true of the facial disk. I have seen it pure 

 white, with scarce a trace of color about the eyes ; and 

 again, the dark rim of the orbits was so wide that 

 but little white was noticeable as the bird sat facing you. 

 There are many other characteristic features, however, 

 always present, which render it easy at all times to in- 

 stantly recognize the pretty, innocent, and wise little saw- 

 whet. 



