ZOOLOGICAL, DEPARTMENT. 67 



but breeds near the lake" (Jerome Trombley); throughout the entire state; bird and 

 young taken at the college in 1868; taken by Dr. Atkins at Locke, April 5, 1872; " occa- 

 sional in the northern counties about the inland lakes" (C. E. Davis); "only seen at 

 Plymouth in fall and winter, saw three at one time on an apple tree, February, 1892 " 

 (J. B. Purdy); in manuscript list of Fox; "common on Mackinac Island, several seen 

 every day" (S. E. White 1 !: "common at Les Cheneaux Islands" (E. B. Boise); "Iron 

 Mountain" (E. E. Brewster): " Keweenaw Point " (Kneeland); breeds; nests in trees, on 

 the ground, on rocks, etc.; nests often very bulky; eggs two to four; food fish. 



Suboedek STRIGES. Owls. 



Family STRIGID.F. Barn Owls. 



Feed on rats, mice, insects and birds; very valuable. 



Genus STRIX Linn. 



l(50-3(55-(461). Strix pratincola Bonap. American Barn Owl. 



" Bather rare, resident " (Gibbs' Birds of Michigan): we have never seen it here; 

 Dr. J. B. Steere infoims me that the same is true at Ann Arbor; 'Sault Ste. Marie" 

 (Chas. Bendire, Smithsonian Contribution to Knowledge, Vol. XXVIII, p. 325); one 

 Michigan specimen reported in the catalogue of the Kent Scientific Institute by E. L. 

 . Mcseley, who writes me that though common at Sandusky, Ohio, they are exceedingly 

 rare in Michigan; recorded by A. H. Boies in 1875. A. B. Covert in 1878 and by Dr. M. 

 Gibbs in 1879: "has been known to breed in Tippecanoe and Clinton counties. Ind.," 

 (A. W. Butler). 



Family BUBON1DJE. Common Owls. 



Nocturnal birds of prey; feed on rats. mice, insects and birds; do great good. 

 Elaborate investigations by government experts prove them to be exceedingly valua- 

 ble. See "Hawks and Owls of the United States in Relation to Agriculture," by Dr. 

 A. K. Fisher, Department of Agriculture, Washington, 1893. Eggs, like those of hawks, 

 short and spherical. "All owls, with the possible exception of the great horned owl, 

 and nearly all hawks should be protected by r law " (J. B. Purdy). 



Genus ASIO Bkiss. 



Raptorial foot of an Owl. 



