Saw-whet Owl 203 
The young bird is very different; above ruddy chocolate-brown, 
without any white ; wings and tail darker, and marked as in the adult ; 
below, throat and breast like the back ; posteriorly brownish-yellow ; 
no streaks, 
Distribution.— Breeding from Hudson Bay and British Columbia 
south, to New York and Indiana in the east, in the west through the 
mountains as far as Mexico, wandering often into the lower country 
and further south in winter. 
In Colorado the Saw-whet is a rather uncommon resident, wintering 
in the eastern plains, and breeding in summer in the mountains from 
about 7,000 to 9,000 feet. It has not hitherto been met with on the 
western slope, though noticed by Morrison in La Plata co. 
The following are winter records: Fort Collins, January (Cooke), 
Fort Lupton, February, and Clear Creek, near Denver, April (H. G. 
Smith), Beloit, near the Kansas border, April (Cooke), Buttes, January 
(Aiken coll.), Salida, December (Frey). 
Summer records are: Estes Park, breeding at 7,000 feet (W. G. 
Smith), Boulder co., breeding at 8,500 feet (Gale), Breckenridge, August 
(Carter), Dome Rock, June (H. G. Smith), 
Habits.—This little Owl gets its name from its shrill 
note, which is said to resemble the sound of sharpening 
a saw with a file. It is a thoroughly nocturnal species, 
and is only very exceptionally seen abroad in the day 
time. It preys almost exclusively on mice of various 
species, and is doubtless very beneficial from the farmers’ 
point of view. Both Gale and W. G. Smith have found 
this bird breeding in Colorado (Bendire). In most cases 
an old Flicker-hole in an aspen tree had been made 
use of, but in one instance what appeared to be an old 
squirrel’s drey was taken possession of. The clutch 
varies from three to five, and incubation appears to 
commence after the first egg is laid, since the young 
birds are generally found to be of obviously different 
ages. Gale’s nests were found on May 24th and June 
3rd, and the earlier one contained three young and one 
egg, and the. later, three nearly fresh eggs, so that 
the egg-laying seems to extend over a couple of months 
at least. The eggs are white, nearly spherical, and 
average 1°20 x 1:0. 
