808 REPORT OF STATE GEOLOGIST. 



entertaining. One appears to tell some joke or do something funny, 

 at which the rest set up a hearty though demoniacal he, he, he, he, hi, 

 hi, hi, hi, ha, ha, ha, ha, and the uncanny company is boisterously 

 hilarious for a few moments, when the solitude of the night again 

 reigns supreme." (Birds of Illinois, I, pp. 409, 410.) 



Mr. F. M. Chapman says: "The usual call is a sonorous 'Who-who- 

 who, who-whoo, to whoo-oh/ ' (B. E. N. A., p. 216.) 



They begin mating in February, and some years may lay that 

 month, though it is usually in March. The nest is in the hollow of a 

 tree; or when that is not convenient, in an abandoned crow's or hawk's 

 nest. The female appears to incubate the eggs, which requires from 

 three to four weeks. Unless the eggs are taken, but one brood is 

 raised. 



They may be seen abroad on sunless days, and then usually receive 

 much notice from crows and other birds, which collect to persecute 

 them. Mr. H. K. Coale informs me of an unique instance of this. 

 June 15, 1884, in Starke County, Indiana, he came upon a Barred Owl 

 in a high tree. It was being attacked by the following birds: Wood 

 Thrush, Blue Jay, Gnat-catcher, Great Crested Fly-catcher, Red Start 

 and Yellow Warbler, all calling and flying at it. Mr. H. W. McBride 

 kept a pair until they were a year old, but they did not breed. 



Occasionally the Barred Owl eats a chicken, but this is not common, 

 and perhaps most frequently when snow covers the ground in winter. 

 The examination of the stomachs of these owls, made under the direc- 

 tion of Dr. C. Hart Merriam, shows that of 109 examined 5 contained 

 poultry or game; 13, other birds; 46, mice; 18, other mammals; 4, 

 frogs; 1, a lizard; 2, fish; 14, insects; 2, spiders; 9, crawfish, and 20 

 were empty. (Bull. No. 3, Div. 0. and M., IT. S. Dept. Agr., p. 156.) 

 But about 4J per cent, of its food is poultry or game, and this is doubt- 

 less mostly obtained from fowls roosting in. trees or exposed places. 

 By far the bulk of their food is composed of injurious animals, the 

 principal part of which is mice. We are disposed to wage war upon 

 them for the occasional pullet they destroy and consider not the ten 

 destructive mice of which they rid us. 



83. GENUS SCOTIAPTBX SWAINSON. 



149, (370). Scotiaptex cinerea (GMBL.). 



Great Gray Owl. 



Largest of our Owls. No ear tufts. Wing, 16.00-18.00; bill, small, 

 nearly hidden by feathers; eyes, yellow; general color, dusky grayish- 

 brown and grayish-white. 



Length, 25.00-30.00; tail, 11.00-12.50. (Fisher). 



