35 

 367. Asio flammeus ( Pont .) . Short-eared Owl. 



The Short-eared or Marsh Owl occurs in Pennsyl- 

 vania as a comparatively common winter resident on mo3t of 

 our extensive marshes. As a breeder, however, it is one of 

 the rarest of our birds, and the nest found by Audubon on 

 June 17 (early part of the 19th century) in the Great Pine 

 Forest seems to be the only actually recorded nest from the 

 state. There is a possibility of the Short-eared Owl breed- 

 ing rarely in Delaware, Lebanon, Dauphin, Erie, and any of 

 the other counties within whose confines extensive patches 

 of marsh land occur. It is the firm belief of the author 

 that this species still breeds irregularly in the state, 

 especially in the marshes of Erie County. At Edge Hill, 

 Montgomery County, during the season of 1907, I observed 

 and heard calling an individual of this species on April 19 

 and again on May 28, but no actual evidence of the breeding 

 was obtained. 



368. Strix varia varia Barton . Barred Owl. 



With the possible exception of Philadelphia, 

 Chester(?), Montgomery, Alleghany, and Green(T) Counties, 

 the Barred Owl probably still breeds in practically every 

 county of the state,. tho it is rare outside of the mountain- 

 ainous and heavily wooded regions. Mr. Dickey tells me 

 that neither he nor Mr. J. Warren Jacobs have found it 

 about Waynesburg in Oreen County. In Pike, Monroe, and 



