~ 
Cabot, on the Plumage, &c. 197 
for Mr. Audubon says, they do not acquire their full 
plumage till August. I exerted my utmost to throw 
more light on the subject, but was unsuccessful until the 
last summer, in June. I was then at the White Sulphur 
Springs, in Virginia. One day, as I was out with my gun 
in search of birds, and was walking with great care through 
some thick evergreen trees, whose branches hung very 
close to the ground, I came suddenly upon a Red Owl, 
sitting upon a low bough, at about the height of my head 
from the ground. I came within ten feet of it without 
being perceived, and saw two young mottled owls, about 
half the size of the red owl, sitting at its side, and two 
more about six or eight feet off. I retired with the ut- 
most care, and towards dusk softly returned to the spot, 
crept up as near to them as I dared, and sat down, con- 
cealed by the overhanging boughs of the tree, beneath 
which I had placed myself, and remained perfectly quiet. - 
ln about half an hour, the red owl began to show signs of - 
activity ; and, shortly after, darted off on noiseless wings 
into the surrounding woods. In a short time she return- 
ed, and fed the two small mottled owls, which had been 
roosting at her side when I first saw them. After re- 
maining a few moments with them, she again flew off, 
and returning as before, went to those two that had been 
the farthest off. As soon as she alighted, I pulled trig- 
ger, and laid them all dead on the ground. One of the 
young I skinned, and have now in my possession. ‘The 
> ocise y the same plumage as 
the two which I had formerly kept. 
In order to render it easier to judge of the value of the 
facts which I have adduced, I will endeavor to sum them 
up, and render them as concise as possible. 
First, Mr. Audubon states, that this bird assumes its 
