206 BIRDS 



and then not be seen again for several years. It is noc- 

 turnal, seldom moving about in the daytime, but passing 

 the time in sleeping in some dark retreat; and so soundly 

 does it sleep that ofttimes it may be captured alive. 



The flight of the Saw-whet so closely resembles that of 

 the woodcock that it has been killed by sportsmen, when 

 flying over the alders, through being mistaken for the game 

 bird. 



These birds nest in old deserted squirrel or woodpecker 

 holes and small hollows in trees. The eggs — usually four 

 — are laid on the rotten wood or decayed material at the 

 bottom. They are white and nearly round. 



The small size of the saw-whet and the absence of ears 

 at once distinguish this species from any owl of eastern 

 North America, except Richardson's, which has the head 

 and back spotted with white, and legs barred with grayish 

 brown. 



SCREECH OWL 



The Screech Owl, sometimes known as the Little 

 Horned or Red Owl, ranges throughout eastern North 

 America. The most abundant of our owls, it is the small- 

 est variety inhabiting the eastern United States, excepting 

 the rare saw-whet owl. The plumage, regardless of age or 

 sex, may be the common phase, a dark gray, or a rufous 

 brown. The " red phase " shown in the plate is the rufous 

 brown. These birds in some phase may be found in every 

 portion of the United States, being divided by naturalists 

 into about fifteen sub-species, each having a given range, 

 such as Florida screech owl, Texas screech owl, Mexican 



