a 
306 BARRED OWL. 
sitting exposed. I also once met with one of their nests, containing 
three young, in the crotch of a white oak, among thick foliage. The 
nest was rudely put together, composed outwardly of sticks, intermixed 
with some dry grass and leaves, and lined with smaller twigs. At 
another time, in passing through the woods, I perceived something 
white, on the high shaded branch of a tree, close to the trunk, that, as 
I thought, looked like a cat asleep. Unable to satisfy myself, I was 
induced to fire, when, to my surprise and regret, four young Owls, of 
this same species, nearly full grown, came down headlong, and, flut- 
tering for a few moments, died at my feet. Their nest was probably not 
far distant. I have also seen the eggs of this species, which are nearly 
as large as those of a young Pullet, but much more globular, and per- 
fectly white. 
These birds sometimes seize on fowls, partridges, and young rabbits; 
mice and small game are, however, their most usual food. The differ- 
ence in size between the male and female of this Ow] is extraordinary 
amounting sometimes to nearly eight inches in the length. Botk 
scream during day, like a Hawk. 
The male Barred Owl measures sixteen inches and a half in length, 
and thirty-eight inches in extent; upper parts a pale brown, marked 
with transverse spots of white; wings, barred with alternate bands of 
pale brown, and darker; head, smooth, very large, mottled with trans- 
verse touches of dark brown, pale brown, and white; eyes, large, deep 
blue, the pupil not perceivable; face, or radiated circle of the eyes, 
gray, surrounded by an outline of brown and white dots; bill, yellow, 
tinged with green; breast, barred transversely with rows of brown 
and white; belly, streaked longitudinally with long stripes of brown, 
on'a yellowish ground; vent, plain yellowish white; thighs and feath- 
ered legs, the same, slightly pointed with brown; toes, nearly covered 
with plumage; claws, dark horn color, very sharp; tail, rounded, and 
In this place may be introduced another species, mentioned by Bonaparte as in- 
habiting Arctic America, and met with by Dr. Richardson during the last northern 
expedition. It is the largest of the American Owls, exceeding even the size of the 
Virginian Horned Owl, and seems to have been first noticed and described by Dr. 
Latham, from Hudson’s Bay specimens. Dr. Richardson has more lately given 
the following sketch of its manners :— “It is by no means a rare bird in the Fur 
Countries, being an inhabitant of all the woody dwstricts lying between Lake Supe- 
rior and latitudes 67° or 68°, and between Hudson’s Bay and the Pacific. It is 
common on the borders of Great Bear Lake; and there and in the higher parallels of 
latitude it must pursue its prey, during the summer months, by daylight. It keeps, 
however, within the woods, and does not frequent the barren grounds, like the 
Snowy Owl, nor is it so often met with in broad daylight as the Hawk Owl, but 
hunts principally when the sun is low; indeed, it is only at such times, when the 
recesses of the woods are deeply shadowed, that the American Hare and the ma- 
rine animals, on which this Owl chiefly preys, come forth to feed. On the 23d of 
May, I discovered a nest of this Owl, built, on the top of a lofty balsam poplar, of 
sticks, and lined with feathers. It contained three young, which were covered with 
a whitish down. We could get at the nest only by felling the tree, which was re- 
markably thick; and whilst this operation was going on, the two parent birds flew 
in circles round the objects of their care, keeping, however, so high in the air as to 
be out of sanpaa they did not appear to be dazzled by the light The young 
ones were kept alive for two months, when they made their escape. They had the 
habit common also to other Owls, of throwing themselves back, and making a loud 
snapping noise with their bills, when any one entered the room in which they were 
kept.””— Eb. 
