206 NOTES ON THE 
followed up to the birds themselves, which had been obtained 
from the nest in the Big Woods. They were able to fly a little 
only, and were therefore easily caught, and.soon became tame. 
I have had no late additions to my specimens secured, but I 
have settled it that although not largely represented, they are a 
regular summer resident, lingering until quite late in November 
in some sections heavily timbered, but I cannot find that any 
remain through the winters. Their plumage is not of sufficient 
density to protect them in high latitudes. The breeding places 
here are, as far as I have been able to ascertain, more fre- 
quently in the coarse reeds of dry marshes where the musk- 
rats have formerly built their houses, on the remains of which 
the eggs are dropped with little if any attempt at building a 
nest. But in one case the brooding place was in a rather 
superficial hole in the side of a bank of earth a few feet in 
height. The eggs are four in number, purely white and nearly 
of the same measurements in either direction. Incubation 
begins variously from April 20 to May 10, according to the 
locality and the season. 
In September, 1891, through the kindnessof Mr. J. Fletcher 
Williams, of St. Paul, I received a letter from Dr. Chas. A. 
Gray, of Waterville, describing three birds of some new species 
that had been found in a hollow tree in the vicinity, which from 
a photograph accompanying proved them to be the Barn Owl. 
but so strikingly like the European that I asked for further 
descriptions in the way of measurements, &c., which settled it 
specifically as the American Barn Owl. A more comical group 
of birds I never saw, and I am under much obligation to Dr. 
Gray for it. 
My observations of this species in California for 17 years, 
have confirmed me in the conviction that it is not particular 
where it has its nest; for they occupy the holes of the ground 
squirrels, a hole in the rocks, where such are easily found, but 
preferably a hollow tree, no matter how deep the cavity, if of suf- 
ficient diameter to readily turn aboutin. Thatit is a much more 
common bird in Minnesota than I have felt at liberty to record 
it I strongly suspect, but its nocturnal habits must leave a doubt 
about that till more extensive observations have been made. 
SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 
Entire upper parts pale fawn color or tawny brownish-yel- 
low, frequently very pale, nearly every feather with a small 
subterminal black spot, succeeded by another of white; under 
parts generally pale fawn color, but frequently a pure white 
