STIUlilD.K-TlIK (>WF,S. ' 67 



iiitoriiiiiij,'li'il witli ilccp j-iittiinil trills. Tlifsd cries, which siiv soim'timcs 

 l.n)li.iij,'c(l until altiT iiii(lni,i,'lil, usiiiilly elicit im siiiswcr from its iiiuto or 

 coiiiliiiiiious, and would secni to Ipc uttered as a call sulicitinj,' a reply from 

 sonii" lost associate. When kept in continenient the Mottled Owl soon 

 lieoonuvs laniiliari/ed to its iie\»- mode oi' life, and rarely atteini)t.s to injure. 

 its captors, though it will at lirst snap its bill in a threatening,' manner 

 and manifest consideralde irritation on huuij,' ajtiiroached or handled. In tlio 

 daytime they keeji secluded, npiiear sleepy or stupid, with half-closed eyes, 

 but, as night approaches, become (piite lively and eager lor their food. They 

 utter their nocturnal cries in continement, the doleful simnda of which are 

 in singular contrast with the lively and excited air of the birds as they utter 

 them. Their flight is noiseless and gliding, and they move in a manner so 

 nearly silent as to be hardly perceptible. They are e.vctdlent niousers, and 

 swallow their food whole, ejecting the indigestible parts, such as hair, bones, 

 feathers, etc. 



Wilson caught an adult bird, ami kejtt it in confinemont some time. At 

 first it was restless and attempted to escape, beating against the glass of the 

 window repeatedly, and several times with so' much violence as to stun 

 itself. In a few days it was reconciled to its situation, and became (juitc 

 tame and familiar, and in the evening was very lively, s])rightly, and active. 



The food of the Screech-Owl is chielly small quadruiM'ds, insects, and occa- 

 sionally, when they have young, small birds. They destroy a vast number 

 of mice, beetles, and vermin, and are of great service to the agriculturist, 

 although their services are not a])preciated, and they are everywhere perse- 

 cuted and luuitcd down without mercy or justice. 



The nest of this species is usually constructed in hollow trees or stumps, 

 most frecpiently in orchards in the vicinity of farm-houses, and not more 

 than si.\ or seven feet from the ground. ^Ir. Avidubon states, however, that 

 he has sometimes found them at the height of thirty or forty. To show 

 the provident habits of this Owl in procuring for its young a great super- 

 abundance of food, Mr. Nuttall mentions finding in the lioUow stump of 

 an a])i)le-trce, which contained a single brood of these young Owls, several 

 Bluebirds, l^lackliuils, and Song-Sparrows. 



Dr. Cooper, on the other hand, relates an instance where one of these 

 Owls resided as an inmate in a dove-cot, where it was not known to do any 

 injury to its inmates. 



The Screech-Owl can hardly be said to construct any nest, but lines the 

 hollow in which it rears its young with a few loose leaves, dry grasses, and 

 feathers. The eggs are usually five or six in number ; they are pure white, 

 and nearly round. Their avemge measureuKiut is 1.38 inches in length b;- 

 1.19 in breadth. 



In regard to the distinctive peculiarities of var. maccalli, we are in posses- 

 sion of but little information. Its habits probably do not essentially vary 

 from those of the common Srops asio, which it so closely resembles in other 



VOL. III. 8 



