406 BARN OWL. 



these birds, nor found a single person who had ever seen them, although 

 the people to whom I spoke were well acquainted with the Snowy Owl, 

 the Grey Owl, and the Hawk Owl. 



Thomas Butler King, Esq., of St Simon's Island, Georgia, sent me 

 two very beautiful specimens of this Owl, which had been caught alive. 

 One died shortly after their arrival at Charleston ; the other was in fine 

 order when I received it. The person to whose care they were con- 

 signed, kept them for many weeks at Charleston before I reached that 

 city, and told me that in the night their cries never failed to attract others 

 of the same species, which he observed hovering about the place of their 

 confinement. 



This species is altogether nocturnal or crepuscular, and when dis- 

 turbed during the day, flies in an irregular bewildered manner, as if at 

 a loss how to look for a place of refuge. After long observation, I am 

 satisfied that our bird feeds entirely on the smaller species of quadrupeds, 

 for I have never found any portions of birds about their nests, nor even 

 the remains of a single feather in the pellets which they regurgitate, and 

 which are always formed of the bones and hair of quadrupeds. 



Owls which approach to the diurnal species in their habits, or which 

 hunt for food in the morning and evening twihght, are more apt to seize 

 on objects which are themselves more diurnal than otherwise, or than the 

 animals which I have found to form the constant food of our Barn Owl. 

 Thus the Short-eared, the Hawk, the Fork-tailed, the Burrowing, and 

 other Owls, which hunt either during broad day, or mostly towards even- 

 ing, or at the return of day, will be found to feed more on mixed food 

 than the present species. I have no doubt that the anatomist will detect 

 corresponding differences in the eye, as they have already been found in 

 the ear. The stomach is elongated, almost smooth, and of a deep gam- 

 boge-yellow ; the intestines small, rather tough, and measuring one foot 

 nine inches in length. 



Its flight is light, regular, and much protracted. It passes through 

 the air at an elevation of thirty or forty feet, in perfect silence, and 

 pounces on its prey like a Hawk, often waiting for a fair opportunity 

 from the branch of a tree, on which it alights for the purpose. During 

 day, they are never seen, unless accidentally disturbed, when they imme- 

 diately try to hide themselves. I am not aware of their having any pro- 

 pensity to fish, as the Snowy Owl has, nor have I ever seen one pursu- 

 ing a bird. Ever careful of themselves, they retreat to the hollows of 



