72 Ndin'U AMKIilCAN lUUDf*. 



1S()2 ivs lute ns tlie lust (if .Miiy, and, in ^fr. riounlnmn'.s opinion, were 

 liit'iMJin^ in tliiit nt%'lil)(>rli()(Hl. in (lie western imrl of Miiini! Mr. Venill 

 i'ound it iilsi) lilt iier line, iiml met with it only in winter llu Htates tliiit it 

 iliU'eis ^ii'iitly in (lis|i()sitioii Iroiii the (Ireat Horned Owl, iicinjr natniidly 

 very j,'entle, iiiid lieeoiiiini; very icudily i|Milt' tiinie in eonliniiinent, diiVerinij; 

 very niiicli in this res|ii;et IVoni most larj;e li'dp/uns. 



It makes its appoarance in Massaclniselts aliout the middle or lust of 

 Novondier, and in some seasons is (piite eomiuon, llioii,i;h never ]iresent in 

 very larjii! niimiiers. It is hold, lait rather wary ; eomin^ into tlii(d< j^roves 

 of trees in close proximity to cities, whieii indetid it rnNpiently enters, but 

 keejiinj; a sharp lookout, and never sniVeriiii^ a near apjiroach. It hunts liy 

 dayliulit, and appears to distin.^uisli olijeets without dilliculty. Its llij^ht 

 is noiseless, j;iaeet'ul, easy, and at times ipiite rapid. In some seasons it 

 appears to wander over the whole of the United States east of the I'ocky 

 Alountains, Dr. Ileermaini havinu; olitaiued a specimen ol' it near San An- 

 tonio, Texas, in the winter of IcS.")7. 



It is more alamdant, in winter, near the coast, than in the interior, and in 

 the latter keeps in the neighborhood of rivers and streams, watching by the 

 open places for op]iortuuities to catch tish. j\Ir. Audubon describes it as 

 very exipcrt and cunning in lishing, crouching on the edges of air-holes in 

 the ice, and instantly seizing any lish that may come to the surface. It also 

 feeds on hares, .sipiirrel.s, rats, and other small animals. It watches the Imps 

 set for animals, especially mu.skrats, and devours them when caught. In the 

 stomacJ! of one Mr. Audubon found the whole of a large house-rat. Its 

 own llesh, ;\Ir. Audul)un ailirms, is line and delicate, and furnishes very 

 good eating. It is described as a very silent bird, and ^Ir. Audid)on has 

 never known it to utter a note nr to make any .sound. 



Ifichardsnn states (hat a few remain in the Arctic regions even in mid- 

 winter, but usually in the more .sheltered districts, whither it has followed 

 the riarmigan, on which it feeds. "When .seen on the IJarren Grounds, it was 

 generally S([uatting on the earth, and, if disturbed, alighted again after a 

 .short lliglit. Ta the more wooded districts it is .said to be bolder, and is 

 even known to watch tlie Clnaise-shooters, and to share in their spoils, 

 skimming from its jiercli on a high tree, and carrying off the bird before 

 the sportsman can get near it. 



Mr. MacFarlane writes from Fort Anderson that he did not find this s]ie- 

 cies abundant in that iiuartiu'. and that its eggs were unknown to him. ^Ir. 

 r>. TJ. Ifoss .speaks of this Owl as widely distributed, but not common. He 

 found it a winter resident, and has repeatedly seen it at that season near 

 Fort Ticsolntion, and it has been shot in February at Fort Xornian. It is 

 very destructive to the snares ,set by the Indians, eating the hares and 

 breaking the snares, in which they are .sometimes caught. The Indians are 

 said to attract these liirds near enough to be shot at, liy tying a mouse or la 

 piece of hare's .skin to a line, and letting it drag behind them. 



