In Nortk-W<>t Canada. 161 



Alaska, This bird is found in Norway, and is common in 

 Lapland. I have three sets of eggs from Lapland ; one clutch 

 of five eggs was taken at Tornea, Lapland, May 10th, 1886. 

 The nest was made of sticks, leaves and moss, and found near 

 the top of a spruce fir. Another clutch of seven eggs was 

 found at Kittila, Lapland, May 13th, 1889 : a third clutch of 

 four eggs was taken at Kittila, Lapland, May 18th, 1890. The 

 average size of sixteen specimens is 1.56x1.25. The hawk owls 

 are the most diurnal in their habits of any of the owl family, 

 retiring to rest at night like ordinary birds, and they are the 

 most hawk-like owls, not only in their habits but in physical 

 aspect. They feed chiefly on field mice and small birds. 

 Another interesting owl found in Manitoba is the saw-whet 

 owl, also called Acadian owl. This species is not at all rare in 

 Ontario, and in the fall of the year a number frequent the 

 railway sheds, in Toronto, along the lake front. Here they 

 stay for several weeks, and feed on the numerous sparrows 

 which inhabit the sheds. Learning from a railway hand that 

 five or six of these owls had been seen about the sheds, I got 

 him to obtain me a specimen, which he winged while it was 

 feeding on a sparrow. I kept this bird alive for a week, but 

 it pined away and died. Though a small bird, only measuring 

 seven inches, it was very spirited, hissing a,nd snapping its 

 bill whenever I went near it. I now have its skin in my pos- 

 session. This bird inhabits the woods of Ontario, and has 

 been found breeding in Maine and New York. The shrill, 

 harsh notes, resembling the filing of a saw, may frequently be 

 heard in the woods at sunset, on a summer's evening. 



Mr. Egbert Bagg records this species breeding near Utica, 

 New York. On the dates of April 7th, 21st and 30th, 1886, he 

 found four sets of eggs of this species, two sets of five and two 

 of seven eggs each. They were taken from deserted wood- 

 pecker holes in tree stubs, ranging from twenty-two to fifty 

 feet from the ground. The eggs were laid on the rotten chips, 

 and a few feathers of the owl were also present. The eggs are 

 white, nearly elliptical, and average 1.20x1.02. The number 

 of eggs laid by this bird ranges from four to seven. This bird 

 K 



