4C) NORTH AMEIUCA-N HIRDS. 



nest and Ggt,'s to liavo boon socuved. Tlio takin.t,' of Kirtland's Owl, whicli 

 is now known to l)o tliu innnaturo bird of tiiis spocios, near that city, as 

 well as in liacine, and at Hamilton, Canada, is also suggestive that this Owl 

 may bioinl in tlioso localities. 



Dr. Townsond is said to have i'ound this Owl in Oregon, Dr. CJambel mot 

 with it in California, Mr. Audubon has taken it both in Kentucky and in 

 Louisiana, Mr. Wilson met with it in Xew Jersey, ]\Ir. McCullock in Nova 

 Scotia, and Dr. Hoy in AVisconsin. Di'. Newberry met with this bird in 

 Oregon, but saw none in California. Dr. Suckley obtained it at the Dalles, on 

 the nortli side of the (.'olumbia, in December. This was several miles from 

 the timbered region, and the bird was supijosed to be living in the ba,saltic 

 cliffs of the vicinity. Dr. Cooper found one at Vancouver in February. It 

 was dead, and had apparently died of starvation. Professor Snow speaks of 

 it as rare in Kansas. ^Ir. I>oardman and l*rofes.sor Yerrill both give it as 

 resident and as common in Maine. It is rather occasional and rare in East- 

 ern ^lassachusetts, and ^Ir. Allen did not find it common near Springfield. 

 On one occasion I found one of the.se birds in April, at Nahant. It was ap- 

 parently migrating, and had sought shelter in the rocky cliffs of that penin- 

 sula. It was greatly bewildered by the light, and was several times almost 

 on the point of being captured by hand. 



This Owl is not iinfretpieutly kept in confinement. It seems easily rec- 

 onciled to captivity, becomes quite tame, suffers itself to be handled by 

 strangers without resenting the familiarity, but is greatly excited at the sight 

 of mice or rats. Captain Bland had one of these birds in captivity at Hali- 

 fax, which he jjut into the same room with a rat. Tiie bird immediately 

 attacked and killed the rat, but died soon after of exhaustion. 



The notes of this Owl, during the breeding-.season, are .said to resemble 

 the noise made by the filing of a saw, and it is known in certain localities 

 as the Saw-Whet. Mr. Audubon, on one occasion, hearing these notes in a 

 forest, and unaware of their source, imagined he was in the vicinity of a 

 saw-mill. 



According to ^[r. Audubon, this Owl Itrcods in hollow trees, or in the de- 

 serted nests of other birds; and lays from four to six glos.sy-white eggs, which 

 are almost spherical. He states, also, that he found near Natchez a nest 

 in the broken stump of a small decayed tree not more than four feet high. 

 He also mentions the occasional occurrence of one of the.se Owls in the midst 

 of one of our crowded cities. One of them was thus taken in Cincinnati, 

 wl'.ere it was found resting on the edge of a child's cradle. ]Mr. ^IcCuUoch, 

 quoted by Audubon, gives an interesting account of the notes and the ven- 

 triloquial powers of this bird. On one occasion he heard what seem d to 

 him to be the faint note.s of a distant bell. Upon approaching the place 

 from w ..h these sounds proceeded, they ap]ieared at one time to be in 

 front o. him, then liehind him, now on his right hand, now on his left, 

 again at a groat distance, and then close behinci him. At last he dis- 



