226 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



birds of prey are regarded as enemies by the sportsman, who allows 

 none to pass that come within his reach. 



A few remain in summer, and raise their young in Southern 

 Ontario, but the greater number pass on farther north. They are 

 tolerably common in Manitoba, and are aLso reported from Hudson's 

 Bay and Alaska. The examinations of the stomachs of this species 

 made by Dr. Fisher, show that its food consists mainly of field-mice 

 and shrews. It has been placed in Class i; among those whose good 

 and evil habits are about equal. 



Genus SYRNIUM Savk^xy. 

 SYRNIUM NEBULOSUM (Foest.). 



160. Barred Owl. (368) 



Above, cinereous-brown, baried with wliite, often tinged witli fulvous ; 

 below, similar, paler, the markings in bars on the breast, in streaks elsewhere ; 

 quills and tail feathers, barred with brown and white, with an ashy or fulvous 

 tinge. Length, about 18 ; wing, 13-14 ; tail, 9. 



Hab.--— Eastern United States, west to Minnesota and Texas, north to 

 Nova Scotia and Quebec. 



Nest, in a hollow tree, or in the deserted nest of a hawk or crow, 

 s, two to four, round, white. 



Along the southern boundary of Ontario the Barred Owl is Ijj' no 

 means rare, but farther north I have not heard of it being observed. 

 It does not occur west of the Rocky Mountains, but is very abundant 

 along the south Atlantic and Gulf States. It is occasionally seen 

 abroad by day, but at such times i^s sight seems to be rather uncer- 

 tain, so that the capture of the small animals on which it feed.s is 

 accomplished during the hours of darkness. 



Regarding its uncertain vision by day, Mr. (xiraud, in his " Birds 

 of Long Island," says : " My friend, Mr. J. G. Bell, informs me that 

 when on a collecting tour in South Carolina, and while fooking for 

 the Blue-winged Yellow Warbler whose note he had a moment before 

 heard, he was startled by feeling a sudden pressure on his gun. 

 Judge of his surprise when he perceived perched on the barrels a 

 Barred Owl, which, at the same moment, discovered its mistake, 

 but too late to correct the fatal error, as it was shot down by the 

 astonished gunner." 



Audubon mentions seeing one alight on the back of a cow, which 



