Plate LX. 



Fig 8. AS/0 AMERICAN US- American Long-eared Owl. 



The Long-eared Owl confines itself chiefly to dense woods, and consequently, even if it were as 

 plentiful, it would not be as well known as many of its brethren. Its nest and eggs are as common in 

 collections as those of almost any other species of Owl. I have found at least two nests of this bird to 

 one of the small Owls. This is due to the fact that the nest is quite exposed, and also to the fact that the 

 bird has a habit of craning its neck over the side of the nest, thus establishing beyond doubt that it is 

 not a set of Crow's eggs that will reward the labor of climbing. Hence the nest is seldom passed by 

 without yielding its quota to the Oologist's collection. The nest is built and the eggs deposited about 

 the same time as with other Owls. 



LOCALITY : 



The nest is situated in comparatively retired woods, either on high or low ground. Upland timber 

 seems to be preferred so far as my observation extends, but some of the best authorities give preference 

 to swampy woods. Probably it makes little difference to the Owls, provided the wood is dark and quiet. 

 Usually the nest is in a tree, but it may be upon the ground, in a bush, or even upon the top of a 

 low stump. 



POSITION: 



I have never seen a nest except in a tree, generally about fifty feet from the ground and placed 

 upon a horizontal limb close to the main trunk. Dr. Coues states that it is sometimes placed in a hollow 

 tree. 



MATERIALS : 



The nest is usually a very loose affair of sticks, lined with grass or leaves, and may be occupied 

 for a number of years with a little repairing each spring. 



The above remarks refer to nests constructed by the Owls. Now it is a very common occurence with 

 this species as with others of the family, that instead of building their own nests, the birds select that 

 of a Crow or Hawk in which they deposit their eggs and rear their young, and no matter how shabby 

 the domicile is, they seldom expend much if any tabor upon it. 



EGGS: 



The complement of eggs varies from three to six, the former being the commonest number. They 

 are pure white, as are those of all Owls, rather smooth of surface, and almost perfectly elliptical in out- 

 line. They measure in long-diameter from 1.58 to 1.80 and in short-diameter from 1.24 to 1.30. A 

 common size is about 1.70x1.25. 



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