296 



THE OOLOGIST. 



teen weeks, we may assert that the first 

 egg was laid by December first. In late 

 July of the same year I saw an equal 

 sized pair of young Eagles which were 

 but just removed from the nest on the 

 Cheneaux Islands, Macinac Straits in 

 the Great Lakes. These instances show 

 difference of three to four months in the 

 time of nesting between Northern Mich- 

 igan and Middle Florida. 



American Barn Owl, Slrix prabin- 

 cola Bonaparte. This is a rare Michi- 

 gan species and I cannot add any notes 

 concerning it as I have never met with 

 the bird. I am perfectly satisfied hat 

 a number of notes which have been 

 given me by inaccurate observers, re- 

 ferred to some other species, more pro- 

 bably the Barred Owl. 



A. H. Boies records it from Southern 

 Michigan and says it is a resident. Cov- 

 ert mentions this Owl as "an acciden al 

 visitor." J. D. Allen shot one in Van 

 Buren County. Chas. E. Bendire in the 

 Smithsonian Contribution to Know- 

 ledge, Vol. xxviii p. 325 says this Owl 

 is found at Saul Ste. Marie. 



It is highly probable that the Barn 

 Owl is only a straggler within our 

 boimdaries. 



American Long-eared Owl, Asio 

 wllsnnianus (Less). This Owl can 

 hardly ever be called common but is al- 

 ways to be found in certain sections in 

 the right kind of land and woods. It 

 was known as early as 1839 in our state 

 when Dr. Sager recorded it in the 

 Michigan Geological Report.. Since 

 then it has appeared in all. State lists 

 and in most local catalogues. It is a 

 resident as are all of our Owls with 

 three or four exceptions of winter vis- 

 itors from the north and the straggler 

 mentioned above. Some collectors 

 claim that this Owl withdraws to the 

 south in very cold weather. 



A. E. Chambers of Kalamazoo found 

 a nest near this city. The date was 

 April 27, 1878, and the nest Avas situa- 

 ted about forty feet from the ground- in 



a tamarack in a low swampy section of 

 land. It was built nearly at the top 

 and where the body or trunk of the 

 tree was not over three inches in diam- 

 eter. The extreme top of the tree had 

 been broken off and the limbs coming 

 up at the sides gave support to the nest. 

 The structure was composed of dead 

 tamarack twigs of a size up to that of 

 a lead pencil. It was a bulky affair 

 and neai'ly or quite eighteen inches in 

 diameter; external depth ten inches or 

 more and internal depth six inches. 

 The interior was softly and plentifully 

 lined with feathers and the inside pre- 

 sented a marked contrast to the exterior 

 in appearance. 



The old bird could not be seen till she 

 flew off which she failed to do until he 

 was within a few feet of the nest. She 

 kept near at hand for several minutes 

 flew in short circles over the despoiler. 

 After descending the female was secured 

 but the male, who appeared .on the 

 scene, was too shy to be taken. 



Six white, nearly spherical fresh eggs 

 were found deposited on or in the bed 

 of feathers, and as nicely provided Avith 

 Avarm covering as is ever tound. An- 

 other nest found May 22 of the same 

 year contained Ave young ones about to 

 leave the nest: This nest constructed 

 like the other Avas situated in the top of 

 an ash stub about twenty feet from the 

 ground. We attempted to rear some of 

 the young but failed although good suc- 

 cess has attended our efforts with the 

 Great-horned Owls". 



These structures were evidently old 

 CroAv's nests which had been repaired 

 and lined by the Owls, but I will not 

 vouch for this peculiarity. Several 

 Avriters speak of this habit and it is 

 reasonable to admit of it Avdren Ave con- 

 sider odd choice of the Great-horned 

 Owl. 



The Long-eared Owl is found in 

 swamps and low Avoods, and unlike the 

 Screech Owl is never to my knowledge 

 in upland oak Avoods. It is much more 



