OWLS. 343 



pens, they are driven out and rabbled by the Crows. They 

 are easily approached in a strong light, as their vision is de- 

 pendent upon darkness, but they usually roost in thick swamps, 

 or dark and unfrequented woods of evergreen. At dusk they 

 become active, and silently hunt for their prey, sometimes 

 flying over fields and meadows, and sometimes perching to 

 watch for it. Their hearing is no less acute than their sight. 

 They feed upon small birds and quadrupeds, or even large 

 insects. They are unsocial, and generally lead a solitary life, 

 but Wilson speaks of seven being found in one tree. 



d. I have never heard them utter any notes, and they are 

 probably silent except during the season of love. Audubon, 

 however, says : " When encamped in the woods, I have fre- 

 quently heard the notes of this bird at night. Its cry is pro- 

 longed and plaintive, though consisting of not more than two 

 or three notes repeated at intervals." 



B. ACCiPiTRiNUS. Short-eared Owl. Marsh Owl. A 

 resident of Massachusetts, most abundant near the sea,* 



a. About fifteen inches long. Ear-tufts, inconspicuous. 

 General colors, dark brown, and fulvous whitening beneath 

 (on the beUy, wings, etc.). Chiefly streaked, but on the tail, 

 primaries, etc., etc., barred (and slightly mottled). JSyes com- 

 pletely encircled by black. 



b. The nest is a rather slovenly structure, built on the 

 ground, most often in rather wet places. The eggs of each 

 set are usually four, averaging about 1.50 X 1.30 of an inch. 



* An early spring and late autamn to be fonnd near Boston during' the 



migrant, regularly common and some- monthsof January and February. That 



times actually abundant on the marshes it formeriy nested at several places on 



and sand hills of the New England the Massachusetts coast is open to no 



coast. It occurs throughout the in- donbt. At various times between 1869 



terior, also, but seldom, if ever, in any and 1878 I found it very common in 



numbers. Although writers have very June, July, and August on Nantucket 



generally asserted that this Owl regu- and Muskeget. Mr. George H. Mac- 



larly spends the winter in Massachu- kay tells me that it may still be seen 



settsj I know of but one specimen taken in summer on these islands, and there 



here at that season, and our local taxi- are good reasons for believing that 



dermists (whose experience, for obvious it continues to breed sparingly on 



reasons, is well-nigh conclusive on such Maltha's Vineyard. — W. B. 

 a point) agree that the bird is rarely 



