OWLS. 



215 



Wnwliiti^rtoii, I'DiniiKni 1'. K. Siriir '^i")-', ooiiiinon I*. H. riuiihrUljjo, not 

 oniiiiiiDii I*. U. 



i\'fA<, j,'L'ii(ially in an old Crow's, Iluwk'x, or Siiuirn;r.s lU'.st. /.V/j/^, three 

 Ho hIx, I'll.") X l';;o. 



"This species, like the Screech Owl, is nocturnal in its h!il)its, and 

 (lifTers from the Short-cared Owl in never hunt inj; during the day- 

 time. It usually spends the day in some evergreen woods, thick wil- 

 low copse, or alder swamp, although rarely il may l)e found in o[)en 

 places. . . . 



" The bird is not wild, and will allow itself to he closely approached. 

 When cnnscious that its presence is recognized, it sits upright, draws 

 the feathers close to the body, and erects the ear-tufts, resembling in 

 appearance a piece of weather-beaten bark more than a bird. . . . 



" Like the other (Jwls, its llight is slow and wavering, but in com- 

 mon with them it is buoyant and devoid of any apf)earance of heavi- 

 ness. The note of this Owl is said by some to resemble the noise made 

 by kittens, while others state it is like the barking of small dogs. 



"Of 107 stomachs examined, 1 contained a gatne bird; 15, other 

 birds; 84, mice; 5, other juammals; 1, insects; and 15 were emj)ty " 

 (Fisher). 



367> Asio accipitrinus t /'"/A I. Smoiit-kaukk Owi,. ,lf/.— Kur-tutlts 

 very siiort, ditlii'ull to distiii^mi.'^h in u dried skin: uppir parts t'iis<'(ius, the 

 teathurs luar^rined with creain-lmtroruoiiraeeous-ljutt, not mottled witli white; 

 tail with oelirueeous-hutl' ami fuseous Ijands of about eijual width ; under 

 parts varyiiiu' from whitish to oehraeeous-but!', the breast broadly and tlio 

 belly more finely utrKikiil with fuseous: eyes yellow. L., I'/.'JO; W., 12-75; 

 T., ti'Or>; n.. 1-50. 



RitiKji'. — Nearly cosmopolitan, breeding in tlic United States locally from 

 Vir^rinia northward. 



WashniLrton, eoinmon W . V. Sing Sing, casual. Cambridge, uneonimon 

 T. v., .\pl.; Oct. and Nov. 



Xi-d, on the ground, in grassy marshes. /.V/f/.f, four to seven, I'CiO x 1'25. 



This species might well Im; named Marsh Owl. for, unlike most of 

 our Owls, it does not frequent the woods, but lives in grassy marshes. 

 It is not shy and does not take wing until almost stepped upon, when 

 it arises noiselessly and flies low over the marsh. Sometimes it alights 

 on a knoll or slight elevation and watches the intruder in the intent, 

 half-human manner of Owls. 



During the migrations and in the winter this bird is occasionally 

 fouiul in flocks or colonies cimtaining one or two huiulred individuals. 



"Of 101 stomachs examined, 11 contained snudl birds; 77, mice; 

 7, other mammals; 7, insects; and 14 were empty " (Fisher). 



368* Syniiumnebulosuin(/'>rN/.). Barkf.uOwi. ; I1oot<H-l. (See 

 Fig. 31.) Ad. — No car-tuft*; upper parts grayish brown, eueh feather with 



r 



