40 BIRDS OF PREY 



bird and 1 warbler. Of this species Dr. Fisher says: "It is 

 both cruel and pernicious to molest a bird so valuable and in- 

 nocent as the one under consideration." 



The Short-Eared Owl^ is of about the same size as the 

 preceding species, but its ears are so short that they look like 

 two small feathers that have been thrust carelessly into the 

 plumage directly above the eyes. Above, it is a brownish- 

 yellow bird, and buffy white underneath. It is found from the 

 arctic regions of North America to Patagonia, and throughout 

 nearly the whole of the Old World except Australasia. Its 

 food habits are very similar to those of the long-eared owl, 

 and it is equally deserving of a perpetual close season. 



The Barred Owl^ has not so good a reputation as the 

 three noticed above, but its record is not entirely bad. Out 

 of 100 stomachs examined by the Biological Survey, three con- 

 tained domestic fowls, one a ruffed grouse and one a pigeon. 

 Six contained screech owls, one a saw-whet owl, three held 

 sparrows, one a woodpecker, and two small birds were not 

 identified. Against this debit was a credit of 46 mice, 18 

 other small mammals, 4 frogs, 1 lizard, 2 fishes, 2 spiders, 9 

 crawfish and 20 empties. The 18 small mammals consisted 

 of 5 red squirrels, 1 flying squirrel, 1 chipmunk, 4 rabbits, 2 

 shrews, 2 moles, 1 weasel and 2 rats. 



From this very exact evidence, the reader can judge of the 

 value or lack of value of this bird to the country at large. It 

 does not seem as if the forty-six mice are a fair equivalent for 

 the useful birds and small mammals destroyed. 



1 A'si-o ac-cip-i-tri'nus. Length, from 14 to 16 inches. 

 ^ Syr'ni-um va'ri-um. 



