BARRED OWL. 245 



so, and never having found any portion of fish in its stomach, I cannot 

 ^■ouch for the truth of the report. 



About the middle of March, these Owls begin to lay their eggs. 

 This they usually do in the hollows of trees, on the dust of the decom- 

 posed wood. At other times they take possession of the old nest of a 

 Crow or a Red-tailed Elawk. In all these situations I have found their 

 eggs and young. Ihe eggs are of a globular form, pure white, with a 

 smooth shell, and are from four to six in number. So far as I have been 

 able to ascertain, they rear only one brood in a season. The young, 

 like those of all other Owls, are at first covered with a downy substance, 

 some of which is seen intermixed with and protruding from the feathers, 

 some weeks after the bird is nearly fledged. They are fed by the 

 parents for a long time, standing perched, and emitting a hissing noise 

 in lieu of a call. This noise may be heard in a calm night, for fifty or 

 probably a hundred yards, and is by no means musical To a person 

 lost in a swamp, it is, indeed, extremely dismal. 



The plumage of the Barred Owl differs very considerably, in respect 

 to colour, in different individuals, more so among the males. The males 

 are also smaller than the females, but less so than in some other species 

 During the severe winters of our Middle Districts, those that remain 

 there suffer very much ; but the greater number, as in some other species, 

 remove to the Southern States. When kept in captivity, they prove ex 

 cellent mousers. 



The antipathy shewn to Owls by every species of day bird is extreme. 

 They are followed and pursued on all occasions ; and although few of 

 the day birds ever prove dangerous enemies, their conduct towards the 

 Owls is evidently productive of great annoyance to them. When the 

 Barred Owl is shot at and wounded, it snaps its bill sharply and fre- 

 quently, raises all its feathers, looks towards the person in the most un- 

 couth manner, but, on the least chance of escape, moves off in great 

 leaps with considerable rapidity. 



The Barred Owl is very often exposed for sale in the New Orleans 

 market. The Creoles make gumbo of it, and pronounce the flesh pala- 

 table. 



