BIRDS OF KANSAS. 297 



with darker shafts; eye broadly encircled with black. Post-orbital circle 

 minutely speckled with pale ochraceous and blackish, except immediately be- 

 hind the ear, where for about an inch it is uniform dusky. Lining of the wing 

 immaculate delicate yellowish white; terminal half, of under primary coverts 

 clear blackish brown; under surface of primaries plain delicate ochraceous 

 white; ends and one or two very broad anterior bands dusky." 



Stretch of 

 Length. wing. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. Bill. Cere. 



Male..... 14.25 39.00 12.25 5.75 1.70 .75 .40 

 Female... 16.00 41.50 13.00 6.00 1.70 .80 .40 



Iris yellow; bills and claws brownish to bluish black. 



This species inhabits the open flats, marshes and prairie lands. 

 I have never met with these birds in wooded lands or thickets. 

 As a rule, they are rather silent. Mr. Nelson says that he heard 

 one of the birds, in Alaska, utter rapidly a loud cry, which 

 sounded like the syllables, "Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo," in a higher 

 key than the note of the Horned Owl, and in a much less sono- 

 rous tone. And I have heard them, when alarmed for their 

 young, utter a shrill, hollow cry, and at the same time make 

 quite a noise by spitefully snapping their bills. 



They are not strictly nocturnal, but, rather, crepuscular in their 

 habits. I have seen them occasionally coursing in dark days 

 and often at twilight. Their flight is steady and easy, and, when 

 hunting, usually hover for a moment over their prey before 

 dropping upon the same. Their food consists chiefly of mice, 

 ground squirrels, gophers, etc. , and they are quite destructive to 

 small water birds that rest at night in flocks upon the sand bars 

 and shores. I have, upon dissection, found a few feathers from 

 Meadowlarks and Longspurs, but most of the land birds roost 

 in the thickets and groves, which are outside of their range. 



These birds breed from the Gulf States north to within the 

 Arctic circle, but seldom south of the Middle States, and chiefly 

 in the more northern regions. Like most of the Owl family, 

 they commence sitting from the time they begin to lay, and it 

 is not unusual to find eggs and young birds in the same nest. 

 A nest found at Neosho Falls, May 8th, 1887, contained seven 

 young birds, from half grown to newly hatched. Their nests 

 are usually placed in thick grass on marshy or low prairie lands. 

 They are chiefly made of old grasses; some are quite bulky, 



