142 SHORT-EARED OWL. 



of dry grass, raked together in a slovenly manner, and quite flat, but cover- 

 ing a large space, on one side of which were found many pellets, and two 

 field-mice, which must have been brought there in the course of the preced- 

 ing night, as they were quite fresh. I should never have discovered their 

 nest had not the sitting bird made a noise by clicking its bill as I was passing 

 close by. The poor thing was so intent on her task that I almost put my 

 hand on her before she moved; and then, instead of flying off, she hopped 

 with great leaps until about ten yards from me, keeping up a constant click- 

 ing of her mandibles. Having satisfied myself as to the species, made an 

 outline of two of the eggs, and measured them, I proceeded slowly to a short 

 distance, and watched her movements. Having remained silent and still for 

 about ten minutes, I saw her hop toward the nest, and soon felt assured that 

 she had resumed her task. It was my intention to revisit the spot, and take 

 note of the growth of the young, but letters which came to me from Phila- 

 delphia a few days after, induced me to return thither; and since then I have 

 had no opportunity of examining either the eggs or young of the Short-eared 

 Owl. 



On examining the pellets disgorged by this bird, I found them to be formed 

 of the remains of bones of small quadrupeds, mixed with hair, and the elytra 

 of various coleopterous insects. In its diurnal flight, the flappings of its 

 wings are noiseless, as in most other species, and it is apt to sail many yards 

 at a time before alighting. Like the rest of the family, when reposing, they 

 stand as if crouched on the full length of their tarsi, and the slight crests or 

 tufts of feathers on their head are, on such occasions, usually so lowered as 

 to be scarcely perceptible. 



Short-eared Owl, Slrix brachyotos, Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. iv. p. 64. 

 Strix brachyotos, Bonap. Syn., p. 37. 



Short-eared Owl, Slrix brachyotos, Nutt. Man., vol. i. p. 132. 

 Short-eared Owl, Strix brachyotos, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. v. p. 273. 



Tufts inconspicuous, general colour of plumage buff, variegated with dark 

 brown; eye surrounded by a ring of brownish-black, much broader behind; 

 anterior half of disk white, with the tips black, posterior yellowish; anterior 

 auricular ruff white, posterior yellowish, each feather with an oblong dark 

 brown spot; upper parts buff, longitudinally streaked with dark brown; 

 scapulars and wing-coverts spotted and banded in large patches, many with 

 a large yellowish-white spot on the outer web near the end; quills buff, with 

 two or three dark brown bands; tail similar, with five broad dark bands, the 

 tip yellowish-white; on the middle feathers the light coloured spaces have a 

 brown central patch; lower parts pale buff, whitish behind, the neck with 

 oblong, the breast and sides with linear dark brown streaks; chin, feet, 

 abdomen, and lower tail-coverts unspotted. 



