BIRDS OF NEW YORK 



125 



only the soft parts of mice to the very young nssthngs, a habit which is 

 probably practised by most of our birds of prey. 



The voice of this owl is deeper toned and more sonorous than that 

 of the Barred owl and uttered with more even intonation though less 

 regular in form and accent, the usual cry consisting of 6 syllables on the 

 same key, which has gained it the name of six hooter in some parts of the 

 State. This cry, which may be written whoo, hoo-hoo-hoo, whoo, wJioo, 



Photo by W. E. Lauderdale, jr 

 Great horned owl's nest and eggs in hollow tree 



I have frequently mistaken for the distant baying of a large dog, or even 

 for the tooting of a freight engine in the distant valley. My early recol- 

 lections of the " sugar bush," where I was occasionally permitted to watch 

 the boiling sap throughout the moonlight nights of early March, are 

 inseparably associated with the wonderful vocal performances of the Great 

 horned owl, answered and reechoed between the hills, until they seemed 

 at times to pervade the air completely. 



This owl nests early in the season, fresh eggs in this State usually 



