208 NOTES ON THE 
Very many of this species: find their way into the hands of 
the taxidermists for mounting. Mr. Howling who has done 
nearly all of the mounting of birds for me which I have had 
done. has many times called my attention to the variations of 
plumage of the Long-eared Owls, in connection with sex and 
degrees of maturity. He has always preserved notes of the 
different birds sent to him as far as possible, that I might have 
the benefit of them. 
In this way I have secured many invaluable opportunities 
for information. 
SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 
Kar tufts long and conspicuous; eyes rather small; wings 
long; tarsi and toes densely feathered. Upper parts mottled 
with brownish-black fulvous, and ashy-white, the former pre- 
dominating. Breast pale fulvous with longitudinal stripes of 
brownish-black; abdomen white; every feather with a wide lon- 
gitudinal stripe, and with transverse stripes of brownish-black; 
legs and toes pale fulvous, usually unspotted, but frequently 
with irregular, narrow, transverse stripes of dark brown; eye 
nearly encircled with black; other feathers of the face ashy- 
white, with minute lines of black; ear tufts brownish-black, 
edged with fulvous and ashy-white; quills pale fulvous at their 
bases, with irregular transverse bands of brown; interior coverts 
of the wing pale fulvous, frequently nearly white, the larger 
widely tipped with black; tail brown, with several irregular, 
transverse bands of ashy-fulvous, which are mottled as on the 
quills; bill and claws dark horn color; irides yellow. 
Length (female), 15; wing, 11 to 11.50; tail, 6. 
Habitat, temperate North America. 
ASIO ACCIPITRINUS (Pawuas). (367. ) 
SHORT-EARED OWL. 
In my earlier observations of the birds of Minnesota, I 
accepted the conclusion that the Short-eared Owl was decidedly 
a rare species. Further observations have changed that con- 
clusion. Their proclivity to marshy districts and building 
their nests on and in the ground, misled me somewhat, but 
since | have become more familiar with their feeding and 
breeding habits, I believe them to be, at least, fairly common. 
It has been truly said that what the Marsh Hawk is to the 
marsh by day, this owl is by night. Essentially nocturnal in 
its feeding, it is not absolutely blind in the daytime, but if 
flushed from the ground where its colors largely conceal it, it 
flies away in a confused manner, and then sails along quite 
near to the ground till at a safe distance, and then drops sud- 
