(J4 THE BIRDS OF MONTREAL. 



Genus Megascops. Kaup. 



120. Screech Owl. (Mottled Owl ; Red Owl.) M. 



asio, (Linn.) 



" Winter Visitant," scarce. This owl is dichro- 

 matic, having two distinct phases of plumage, one 

 of which is grayish and the other bright rufous, 

 without any relation to sex, age or season. Both 

 forms occur here, and are sometimes received by 

 our taxidermists to stuff. 



Genus Bubo. Dumeril. 

 Subgenus " Bubo." 



121. Great Horned Owl. B. virginianus. (Gmel.) 



" Permanent Resident," common. I saw two of 

 those owls October 18, 1885, and October 17, 1886, 

 in the woods near St. Martin's Junction on Isle 

 Jesus. On both occasions my attention was at- 

 tracted to the owls by a lot of crows mobbing them, 

 and as I was desirous of obtaining the owls' skins 

 I tried for a long time to get a shot at them, but as 

 soon as I approached them through the underwood, 

 although the sun was very bright, they new off in 

 the very face of it, with the crows in full cry after 

 them. In winter this owl is not so wary when on 

 a visit to the city, and are easily shot then. I saw 

 one alive December 24, 1892, in a cage in the win- 



