Vol. XIV 
1897 ReeEep, Wotes on the American Barn Owl. 375 
During the summer months I have often found the young, after 
leaving the nest, roosting during the daytime among the dead or 
dense foliage of trees, probably for want of other shelter. In 
such cases the ground, bushes, and trunks of the trees in which | 
they roost, are often very noticeably marked with the excrement 
and dried-out pellets, which lead to their discovery. 
This Owl is resident the year around in this locality. During 
the fall and winter months I have found them roosting both singly 
and in colonies, depending on the size of their roosting places, 
and often occupying separate cavities of the same tree. An 
example of this may be found located in the woods at Glenolden, 
Delaware County, Pa., which has been a favorite roosting and 
nesting place for several years. This dormitory is beyond the 
reach of the ordinary climber, owing to its height of about sixty 
feet above the ground, the size and bareness of the trunk pre- 
venting many persons from investigating them and accomplishing 
their extermination. 
On January 31, 1891, accompanied by my friend Mr. C. A. 
Voelker, I visited this tree and from the numerous holes in its 
branches counted fourteen Owls fly out during the evening. Five 
of these were secured, two males and three females, three being 
old birds and two young. Again on September 25, 1892, I paid 
the place a visit, but, arriving a little late in the evening, I saw 
only four Owls, Mr. Voelker on the following evening seeing five 
birds, one of which he shot. The Owls leave the roost very 
early in the evening, often a long time before sunset, departing 
singly, several minutes elapsing after the exit of one before the 
appearance of another, each circling around the tree several times 
before leaving, emitting a note similar to the clucking of a 
squirrel, probably a call note to their companions. This habit 
of leaving the roost before sunset, is more noticeable during the 
breeding season when the days are long and the nestlings require 
food, and this no doubt accounts for their being seen occasionally 
during cloudy days searching for food. 
I think: the female remains on the eggs and is often fed by the 
male during the season of incubation, as a certain amount of 
food is generally found in the nest at this time. I have never 
found the male covering the eggs, although if the cavity is sufh- 
