488 LITTLE SCREECH OWL. 



others nearly black. The feathers change their colours as the pairing 

 season advances, and in the first spring the bird is in its perfect dress. 



After nearly thirty years of observation, I may say, hardly interrupted, 

 I may be allowed to draw your attention to the following fact as highly 

 curious. I have observed that every species of Owl which breeds in the 

 Northern and Middle States is considerably more deficient in its powers 

 of vision during the day or on moonlight nights, when the ground is 

 covered with snow, than the species that breed in, and consequently may 

 be considered as residents of, more northern countries, such as the Snow 

 Owl, the Forked-tailed Owl, and the Hawk Owl, all of which shew no 

 material difference in their power of vision, be the sun or moon shining 

 ever so brightly on the snow. I have frequently approached the Great 

 Horned Owl, as well as every other species that breeds in the ITnited 

 States, during what I call glarhtg snows, whilst, on the same day, my 

 attempts to approach the Snow Owl or the Hawk Owl were ineffectual. 

 Yet on examining the structure of the eyes of all these species, I have 

 found little or no difference in them. I wish some competent anatomist 

 would investigate this singular fact, and communicate the result of his 

 inquiries, for the benefit of the scientific world, and that of the author of 

 the Biography of the Birds of the United States. 



The Mottled Owl rests or spends the day either in a hole of some de- 

 cayed tree, or in the thickest part of the evergreens which are found so 

 abundantly in the country, to which it usually resorts during the breed- 

 ing season as well as in the depth of winter. 



The branch on which you see three individuals of this species, an 

 adult bird and two young ones, is that of the Jersey Pine (Pinits inops), 

 a tree of moderate height and diameter, and of a scrubby appearance. 

 The stem is generally crooked, and the wood is not considered of great 

 utility. It grows in large groves in the state from which it has derived 

 its name, and is now mostly used for fuel on board our steam-vessels. 

 The Mottled Owl is often observed perched on its branches. 



Strix Asio, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 133 Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. i. p. 54 — . 



Ch. Bonaparte, Synopsis of Birds of tlie United States, p. 36. 

 IIed Eared Owr., Lath. Synops. vol. i. p. 123. 

 Mottled Owl, Strix NiEviA, Wils. Anier. Ornith. vol. iii. p. IQ. PI. 19. fig. 1. 



Adult. 

 Red Owl, Strix Asio, Wils. Americ. Oruitli. vol. v. p. 83. PL 42. fig. 1. Young. 



Adult. Plate XCVH. Fig. 1. 



