802 REPORT OF STATE GEOLOGIST. 



house in Decatur County (W. P. Shannon, October 7, 1893); one was 

 taken alive, five miles north of Greencastle, and brought into that city 

 (J. Earlle); November 10, 1894, one was picked up dead ten miles 

 southwest of Lafayette (L. A. and C. D. Test). In 1894, Mr. J. 0. 

 Dunn supplied two records from the vicinity of Chicago, September 

 25. About June 10 he saw one alive in a saloon window on La Salle 

 street. He procured one from a small boy, which he still has. 



One was picked up alive by Mr. Wm. Baum, three miles south 

 of Delphi, August 30, 1897 (D. C. Ridgely). May 23, 1896, a female 

 was shot on the Kankakee River, at Kouts, Ind., by Mr. M. F. Hilgard, 

 which is now in the collection of Mr. J. G. Parker, Jr., who says it 

 undoubtedly had a nest close by. Prof. E. L. Moseley reports one 

 from Sandusky, 0., April 11, 1896. He informs me a local taxider- 

 mist had received / two others. Mr. J. B. Burris (Cloverdale, Ind.) 

 writes one was shot from a pine tree in a neighbor's yard, March 20, 

 1897. It has also been noted from the following counties: Wabash 

 (Ulrey and Wallace); Boone (Beasley); Allen (Stockbridge). 



With us, these birds seem to frequent, except at the breeding season, 

 the belfry and tower of buildings, barns and deserted buildings, and 

 nest in hollows of trees. This is the bird that is written up in the news- 

 papers as the "Monkey-faced Owl." They also nest in deserted mine 

 shafts, old wells, the burrows of animals, holes in banks and cliffs. 

 They make little or no nest. "Incubation usually commences with 

 the first egg laid, and lasts about three weeks. The eggs are almost 

 invariably found in different stages of development, and young may 

 be found in the same nest with fresh eggs. Both sexes assist in incu- 

 bation, and the pair may be sometimes seen sitting side by side, 

 each with a portion of the eggs under them" (Bendire, L. H., N. A. 

 Birds, I, p. 327). The examination of stomachs under the direction 

 of the United States Department of Agriculture showed that "of 39 

 examined, 1 contained poultry; 3, other birds; 17, mice; 17, other 

 mammals; 4, insects; and 7 were empty." (Fisher, Bull. No. 3, Div. 

 0. and M., p. 139). It is one of the most decidedly nocturnal of the 

 owls. At dusk it goes forth to hunt; over meadow and marsh, pasture 

 and prairie, its quest leads it. Its game is meadow mice, gophers 

 and other destructive mammals, all more or less injurious. Its work 

 is highly beneficial. The farmer and orchardman especially should 

 give them protection. 



