174 



North American Birds Eggs. 



^ It nests usually in hollow cavities of trees, but appears to have no objections 

 to barns, holes in banks, or anywhere it can find a concealed crevice in which 

 to deposit its four to six pure white eggs; size 1.70 x 1.30. Data. — Santa Clara 

 Co., Cal., April 14, 1891. 4 eggs. Nest in hollow of an oak tree, 15 feet up. Col- 

 lector, RoUo H. Beck. 



HORNED OWLS. Family BUBONID/E. 



366. American Long-eared Owl. Asia wllsoniamifi. 



Range.— North America, breeding from the 

 southern parts of British America, southward. 



This species is 15 inches in length; it can easily 

 be separated from any other species by its long ear 

 tufts, brownish face, and barred underparts. Their 

 food consists almost entirely of small rodents, 

 which they catch at night. Most of their nests are 

 found in trees, they generally using old Crow's or 

 Hawk's nests. They also, in some localities, nest 

 in hollow trees, or in crevices amongrocks. Their 

 nesting season ranges from March in the southern 

 parts of their range, to April and May in the north- 

 ern. They lay from four to seven pure vphiteeggs; 

 size 1.55 X 1.35. 



367. Short-eared Owl. ^i,s-('o accipitriiiiis. 



Range.— Whole of North America, breeding ~~^ 



from the middle portions of the United States 

 northward, and wintering in the United States. 



This species is of the size of the last, but is 

 paler, has very short ear tufts, and is streaked 

 beneath. Its habits are the same except that it 

 frequently hunts, over the marshes and meadows, 

 on dark days and toward dusk. 



Their four to seven, pure white eggs are laid 

 upon the ground in marshy places, sometimes 

 upon a lining of sticks and weeds, and are 

 generally under a bush, or close to an old log. 

 They nest, in different localities, from March to iWhlte.l 



May. Size of eggs 1.55 x 1.25. 



368. Barred Owl. Syrnium variuni. 



Range.— Eastern North America, from 

 the British Provinces, southward; west to 

 the Rockies. 



This species is the most common of the 

 large owls, and can be distinguished by 

 its mottled and barred gray and white 

 plumage, and lack of ear tufts; length 20 

 inches. It is the bird commonly meant 

 liy the term "hoot owl," and being strict- 

 ly nocturnal, is rarely seen flying" in the 

 day time, unless disturbed from its roost- 

 ing place in the deep woods. Its food 

 consists chiefly of rats, mice, and frogs, 

 and sometimes, but not often, poultry. 

 It nests in the heart of large woods, gen- 

 erally in hollows of large trees, and less 



