OWLS. 



219 



lianfff. — Eastern Nortli America, north %varil to Now Brunswick and Min- 

 nesota; trcneraily resident throuyriiout its ranjjre. 



WashiuLCton, coiunicn i'. U. Sing Sing, common P. K. Cambridge, com- 

 mon 1'. K. 



Aid, generally in a liollf)w tree. Af/f/s, four to six, Ino x 1"22. 



The Screech Owl frequently makes its home near our tlwellinps. 

 and sometimes selects a convenient nook in them in which to lay its 

 eggs. But its favorite retreat is an old apple orchard, wliere the hollow 

 limbs offer it a secure refuge from the mobs of small birds which are 

 ever ready to attack it. A search in the trees of an orchard of this kind 

 rarely fails to result in the discovery of one or more of these feathered 

 inhabitants who may luive resided there for years. They attempt to 

 escape capture by a show of resistance and a castanetlike cracking of 

 the bill, but when brought from their hiding place sit quietly, dazzled 

 for a moment by the sudden light. They then elongate themselves 

 and almost close their eyes, thus rendering themselves as inconspicuous 

 as possible. How differently they appear when the western sky fades 

 and their day begins ! Is any bird more thoroughly awake than a 

 hungry Screech Owl ( With ear-tufts erected and his great, round eyes 

 opened to the utnu)st, he is the picture of alertness. 



When night comes one may hear the Scre(>cli Owl's tremulous, 

 wailing whistle. It is a weird, melancholy call, welcomed only by 

 those who love Nature's voice whatever be the medium through which 

 she speaks. 



'' Of 255 stomachs examined, 1 contained poultry; 38, other birds; 

 91, mice; 11, other mammals ; 2, lizards; 4, bntrachians; 1, fish ; 100, 

 insects; 5, spidert ; 9, crawfish; 7, miscellaneous; 2, scorpior.;; 2, 

 earthworms ; and 43 were empty " (Fisher). 



373a. M. a. floridanus (/iVf/f/H-.). Fi.okida Si uEEm Owi,.— Much 

 like the preeedhig, but smaller, with the colors deeiHT and markings of the 

 under parts lieavier. W.. .VW ; T., 'J'M). 



/,'„/,,,,.. —Florida and (iulf coast region to Louisiana. 



376. Bubo virginianus I '''/"^). (Iukat IIuunkd Owl. .1'/.— Size 

 lar-re ; ear-tufts eoiispieuous. iiearl v two in. 'lies in length ; upper parts mottled 

 with varyiiiir shades of oehraecous-luitl and black ; facial disk udinn cous- 

 burt'; ear-tufts black and ochraccous-butf; a white patch on the tlir<>at, rest 

 of the >mder ]>arts ocliraceous-butf, in'rrcd with black; legs and feet feath- 

 ered ; eyes yellow. S L., ti-J-OO; \V., l.VOO; T., S-.W; B.. VW. 



/(VM(f/.'.— Kastcvn North .\Micrica; northward to Labrador and southward 

 to Costa Uica; resident tliroui:lM>nt its raiiire. 



WashiuL'ton, rare I*. U. Sing Sing, tolerably common i'. U. Cambridge, 

 occasional at all seasons. 



^\|lt, generally in an old Crow's, Hawk's, or Sciuirrel's uest. J^'</ij», two to 

 three, 2-20 X 1-80. 



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