A Catalogue of Birds obtained in Navarro Oounty, Texas. 22& 



their stomachs crammed with the same kind of white grubs as 

 those birds obtain. The noise made by them is quite as loud as 

 that made by a sapsucker, but the bird sits in the usual way upon 

 a branch, and strikes straight down. I have also found grasshop- 

 pers, beetles, wasps and bees among their food. Their migrations 

 are performed in pairs, and I think generally with the wind. 



Aluco flammeus, americanus (Aud.) American Barn- 

 Owl. — Though I have been told of the occurrence of this owl here, 

 ] never met with it, and it must be rare ; I only allow it a place 

 in the catalogue from the presence of a specimen in the collection 

 of Dr. Thomas, obtained by himself in Dallas county. 



Asio ACCiPiTEiNUs (Pall.) Shorteared Owl— A winter visitor 

 in considerable numbers, frequenting old hayfields and patches of 

 low weeds on the prairie, among which they lie during the day, 

 though they appear to sufter no inconvenience from the brightest 

 sun, and even at mid-day are wild and difficult to obtain, rarely 

 allowing of an approach within gunshot. They arrive about the 

 end of October, and do not remain long after the end of March. 

 Occasionally they pass the day among the branches of a tree, those 

 which are densely foliaged and stunted in growth being chosen, 

 f have found mice, meadow- larks. Savannah sparrows, a small wood- 

 pecker, and remains of beetles in the stomachs of those which J 

 examined. 



Strix nebulosa, Forst. Barred Owl— The most abundant 

 species of owl, and resident, frequenting the bottom lands and 

 creeks. During the day they roost among the middle branches of 

 thick trees, whence, if disturbed, they dart down to within a few 

 feet of the ground, and make off with a rapid, noiseless flight, 

 and generally alight very soon. They are exceedingly vigilant, 

 and are not at all incommoded by the brightness of the sun, being 

 able at any time to thread their way with ease between the stems 

 and branches of the trees ; and I have even shot one from off the 

 body of a cotton-tail rabbit, which it was eating, during the after- 

 noon. They breed both in the dense timber and in the creeks, 

 and the young are well able to fly by the beginning of June. 

 During the fall and winter they are common along the edges of 

 the prairie, upon which they come out nightly, visiting the farms 

 in search of rats and mice, and are accused of carrying off poultry 



