ASIO ACCIPITRINUS : SHORT-EARED OWL. 9 1 



Resident, and not uncommon throughout New Eng- 

 land. It inhabits woods and thickets, and is seldom 

 seen abroad in daylight, unless startled accidentally 

 from its retreat. Though so similar in form to the 

 Short -eared Owl, and often found in marshy and bushy 

 places with the latter, it has ways of its own, and neither 

 nests on the ground nor is partial to swampy localities. 

 The nest is usually in some thick evergreen tree, and 

 built by the bird itself, though a deserted crow's or 

 hawk's nest is sometimes utilized for the purpose. The 

 eggs are laid in April, numbering from four to six ; they 

 are of the usual shape and color, but quite variable 

 in size, varying from 1.41 to 1.65 in length, by about 

 1.25 in diameter. 



SHORT-EARED OWL. 



Asio ACCIPITRINUS (Pall) Newt. 



Chars. Above, completely variegated, chiefly in streaks, with fulvous 

 or tawny and dark brown ; breast much the same ; other under 

 parts paler, usually bleaching on the belly, which is sparsely and 

 sharply .streaked (never barred) with dark brown ; feet and crissum 

 usually immaculate whitish or pale tawny ; under surface of wings 

 uninterruptedly white. Quills of the wings varied, mostly in large 

 pattern, and tail pretty regularly barred, with the two colors of 

 the upper parts. Facial area white or nearly so, but with large 

 black eye-patch ; ruff minutely speckled with fulvous and blackish, 

 white-bordered internally, and usually with a blackish patch be- 

 hind the ear ; radiating feathers of the ear-flap streaked with 

 blackish and fulvous. Iris bright yellow ; bill and claws dusky- 

 bluish. Feet feathered to the claws ; soles perfectly naked, 

 granular, yellowish. External ear-parts extremely large, 2 inches 

 or more across the longest way ; ear-tufts small, inconspicuous, 

 few-feathered. Length of male, 14.50; extent, 41.00; wing, 

 11.75; tail, 6.00; foot, to end of middle claw, 3.50; chord of 

 culmen, i.io. Female somewhat larger. 



