IO2 THE CHICAGO ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



FAMILY BUBONIDJE. HORNED OWLS, SCREECH OWLS, ETC. 

 Genus ASIO Brisson, 1760. 



Asio wilsonianus (Less.)- American Long-eared Owl. 



Strix otus WILSON, Amer. Orn., VII, 1812, 73, pi. 51, fig. 3 (nee 



Linnaeus). 



Otus wilsonianus LESS., Traits Orn., I, 1831, 110. 

 Otus vulgaris var. wilsonianus ALLEN, Bull. M. C. Z., Ill, 1872, 180, 

 Otus vulgaris of some authors. 



Asio wilsonianus COUES, Check List, ed. 2, 1882, 81, No. 472. 

 Popular synonym : LESSER HOBNED OWL. 



Quite abundant in past years, the Long-eared Owl is now a 

 rather uncommon resident. It is principally found in the timber 

 which skirts some of the swamp lands of our area. Mr. B. T. 

 Gault informs me that this species occurs regularly in DuPage 

 County during the early spring and late fall. Removing the 

 timber from our vicinity for the purpose of settlement will prob- 

 ably eventually drive this Owl entirely from our limits. Its 

 strictly nocturnal habits and its attachment for certain localities 

 have made it less well known than are some of the other species. 

 "Its favorite haunts are dense willow thickets, where it may be 

 surprised taking its daytime nap, standing bolt upright, with 

 feathers closely pressed to its body, and long ear-tufts erect, thus 

 presenting a very comical figure." Mr. Robert Kennicott in- 

 cludes this species in his list of Cook County birds* with the 

 notation "common," and also states that it is "known to nest in 

 Cook County." 



The range of this species covers North America in general, 

 from the limit of forests on the north, south to the Mexican 

 tablelands. Its breeding range is coincident with its geographical 

 distribution. 



Asio accipitrinus (Pall.). Short-eared Owl. 



Strix accipitrina PALL., Reise Russ. Reichs., I, 1771, 455. 



Strix Irachyotus FORST., Phil. Trans., LXII, 1772, 284. 



Otus Irachyotus BOIE, Isis, 1822, 549. 



Brachyotus palustris BONAPARTE, 1838. 



Asio accipitrinus NEWT., Yarrell's Brit. B., Ed. 4, I, 1872, 163. 



Popular synonyms : MARSH OWL. PRAIRIE OWL. SWAMP OWL. 



The Short-eared Owl is a summer resident within our limits. 

 It probably nests with us also, for I have found them nesting a 

 few miles south of Chicago, at Lowell, Indiana, and have observed 

 them throughout the summer in Cook County. Mr. Robert Ken- 

 nicott records it as having nested in Cook County,* and says: 



'Trans. Illinois State Agri. Society, Vol. I, 1853-1854, 581. 



