336 LIFE HISTOEIBS OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



has beeu met with in NoA^a Scotia, the southern parts of the provinces of Quebec 

 and Ontario and soutlieastern Manitoba. Westward it reaches Minnesota, Iowa, 

 Missouri, the eastern parts of Nebraska, Kansas, the Indian Territory, and north- 

 eastern Texas. Excepting in tlie more northern parts of its range it is a constant 

 resident and breeds wherever found. 



The Barred Owl is readily distinguished from tlie Great Horned Owl by its 

 somewhat smaller size, conspicuous rounded head, due to the absence of ear 

 tufts, its greenish yellow beak, and handsome dark colored eyes. In the central 

 and southern parts of its range it is quite common, frequenting mostly the heavy 

 timbered and, preferably, swampy tracts near water courses, and spending the 

 days generally in natural hollows of trees or in dense shrubbery. Like most of 

 the birds of this family, it is nocturnal in its habits, but nevertheless sees well 

 enough and even occasionally hunts in the daytime, especially during cloudy 

 weather. I believe that Owls in general prefer to remain hidden during the 

 daytime on account of attracting the attention of nearly every feathered inhab- 

 itant of the vicinity, who instantly attack and annoy them in every possible 

 manner the moment they leave their retreats. 



The flight of the Barred Owl, like that of other members of this family, is 

 easy, and though quite swift at times it is perfectly noiseless. A rapidly passing 

 shadow distinctly cast on the snow-covered ground is often the sole cause of its 

 presence being betrayed as it glides silently by the hunter's camp fire in the still 

 hours of a moonlight night. Far oftener, however, it announces itself by the 

 unearthly wierd call notes peculiar to this species, which surpass in startling 

 effect those of all other Owls with which I am familiar. It is necessary to listen 

 to such a vocal concert to fully appreciate its many beauties, (!) as it is impossi- 

 ble to give an accurate description of the sounds produced when a pair or more 

 of these birds try to outdo one another. 



Mr. J. W. Preston, of Baxter, Iowa, writes me as follows on this subject: 

 "Their notes are variable and sometimes easily mistaken for those of the 

 the human voice. The base upon which they work is a 'hoo-hoo,' or 'too-too, 

 Ijut these syllables are modified and interchanged at pleasure. Here are a few 

 samples, taken down as uttered by one of these birds while close to it: 'Hoo- 

 hoo, ho-ho-ho-ho-ho, hoo-hoo-too-too, to-to, too-o.' Another call is somewhat 

 like this, 'too-too, to-to, to-to, o-o' and still another, 'haw-haw, hoo-hoo.' Now 

 and then a coarse mocking laugh, very humanlike, may be heard, and again 

 this is changed to a mournful wail. Sometimes their notes are all cut up 

 and uttered in great haste, with seemingly no cause for these violent outbursts. 

 I disturbed a young bird once, causing one of its parents great uneasiness. 

 It is impossible to describe all the notes uttered by it at this time; they 

 were rendered in a subdued muttering and complaining strain, parts of which 

 sounded exactly like. ' old-fool, old-fool, don't-do-it, don't-do-it.'" 



The Barred Owl is not infrequently heard calling in the daytime, more 

 particularly during cloudy weather before a storm, these sounds emanating 

 usually from the most dismal and gloomy parts of the forest. In the early 



