The Oologist 



vol. XL 



ALBION, N. Y., JAN., 1894. 



NO. 1 



Raptores of Michigan. 



(seventh paper ) 



By Scolopax. 



Screech Owl; Mottled Owl; Red 

 Owl, Megascops asio. This is one of 

 oui' common owls, and many claim it 

 is ma- most abundant representative of 

 the family. The Red and Mottled Owls 

 were at one time considered as distinct 

 species; at a later period the red phase 

 was allowed to be the immature plu- 

 mage of the gray-coated bird. It is now 

 generally admitted that the two are of 

 a single species, and the subject of var- 

 iations iu color has been thorough!}' 

 studied of late A paper in the Amer- 

 ican Naturalist, Vol. XVII, p. 521, 1893, 

 gives the results of thorough study and 

 much research by E. M. Hasbrouck. 



'This study on the 'Evolution and Di- 

 chromatism of the Genus Megascops' is 

 a very interesting paper, and those in- 

 terested in the conditions which bring 

 about variations iu a species will be 



i much pleased with the publication. 



'There are maps and charts indicating 

 the points where the red owls are 

 alone found, where the gray ovyl is 

 found and where they merge. 



The Screech Owl, and he well de- 

 serves his mime, is very generally dis- 

 tributed and eveiyone who has col- 

 lected for any length of time has met 

 with it. This bird can see plainly dur- 

 ing the day, or at least well enough to 

 readily escape from its pursuers when 

 it is abroad. But generally it remains 

 near to its home of the year, to which 

 it seems much attached, and keeps in 

 concealment during daylight, issuing at 

 night to whine, screech and moan in 

 the most remarkable and mysterious 

 manner. This song or series of notes 



is more commonly uttered in the nest- 

 ing season, but it is also heard iu the 

 summer, autumn and even winter, and 

 many a camper and inexperienced 

 hunter has been badly frightened by 

 the sounds. 



A though this Owl is so well known 

 the collectors do not appear to have 

 had great success with nest hunting. 

 Covert says that this Owl nests in Wash- 

 tenaw county. A. E. Chambers found 

 a nest in Kalamazoo count} r containing 

 live eggs. This was iu early May, 1878. 

 A shallow cavity held the fresh eggs 

 which were within four inches of the 

 entrance. The tree was a dead ash 

 stub eighteen inches in diameter at the 

 base. The cavity was nine feet from 

 the ground and was entered by a rude 

 hole in the side of the trunk. The nest 

 was composed of a very few feathers. 



On two occasions when the spot was 

 visited the old bird seemed loth to 

 leave the cavity but when she took 

 flight quickly disappeared and did not 

 seem at all concerned. The eggs some- 

 what resembled those of the Kingfisher. 



My friend Richard Westnedge gives 

 me the following notes on nestings tak- 

 en near Kalamazoo: 



One nest in a large oak about 25 feet 

 up. Entrance to hollow about five 

 inches in diameter. Cavity contained 

 the remains of a Bluebird and two 

 Blackbirds. The live eggs, resting on 

 rotten chips at bottom of hollow, were 

 incubated a week or ten days. The 

 date was April 17, 1890. 



On May 13 of the same year he found 

 another nest containing six well-grown 

 birds. This cavity, evidently an old 

 Woodpecker's nest, was at a height of 

 ten feet. There was a Golden-winged 

 Woodpecker's hole six feet above in the 

 same stub which held seven eggs. 



On May 7, 1892, he secured three bad- 



