GREAT HORNED OWL. 177 



stomach coutents may be mentioned muskrats, woodchucks, and opos- 

 sums. It also feeds on mice and shrews, but to a much more limited ex- 

 tent than do the smaller Owls. In certain parts of its range, where the 

 skunk is common, especially in the springtime, this animal forms a not 

 uncommon article of food. Probably all collectors and taxidermists will 

 bear out this assertion. Fully one-half of the owls skinned, if they do 

 not at the time have the remains of this mammal in the stomach, give 

 evidence of having been in contact with it by the strong scent on the 

 plumage. 



The late Dr. J. M. Wheaton, in his report on the birds of Ohio, 1882, 

 sums up its food as follows: "The food of the Great Horned Owl con- 

 sists of small quadrupeds, such as rats, mice, squirrels, and occasion- 

 ally rabbits, birds, reptiles, and fish." (p. 407.) 



An instance of its feeding on a porcupine is recorded by Charles R. 

 Coombs (Ornith. and Oologist, vol. xiv, February, 1889, p. 29). The 

 bird, which was killed at Castine, Me., was found to have the flesh 

 and the roof of the mouth literally packed with the quills of this rodent. 

 It is probable that the bird eventually would have succumbed to the 

 effects of the quills, as do all mammals and birds, not excepting the 

 panther, which are so voracious or shortsighted as to attack this slug- 

 gish animal. Nuttall mentions a case where a Great Horned Owl at- 

 tacked a cat, which is of such interest that we embody it here: "My 

 friend, Dr. Boykin, of Milledgeville, in Georgia, assured me that one 

 of our own daring nocturnal adventurers, prowling round his premises, 

 saw a cat dozing on the roof of a smokehouse, and supposing grimalkin 

 a more harmless, rabbit-like animal than appeared in the sequel, blindly 

 snatched her up in his talons ; but finding he had caught a tartar, it 

 was not long before he allowed puss once more to tread the ground." 

 (Land Birds, 1832, p. 126.) 



There are several species of Owls which show great fondness for fish 

 when circumstances throw them in their way. A. M. Frazar found the 

 ground under the nest of a Great Horned Owl literally strewn with fish 

 scales. (Bull. STutt. Ornith. Club, vol. n, 1877, p. 80.) William Brew- 

 ster found in the stomach of an Owl killed at Tucson, Ariz., beetles, por- 

 tions of crawfish, and a few fish scales. (Bull. Nuttall Ornith. Club, 

 vol. vni, 1883, p. 27.) Crawfish are eaten occasionally, but not so often 

 as by the Barred Owl. 



In our examination of stomachs we have never found the remains of 

 batrachians, though doubtless they are sometimes used as food. Among 

 insects the larger night-flying beetles are the ones most often taken. 



The following species of mammals and birds were positively identi- 

 fied among the stomach contents : 



MAMMALS. 



Lepus americanus. Sigmodon Jiispidus arizonw. 



Lepus sylvatieus, Thomomys talpoides umbrinus. 



Lepus sylvatieus arizonw. Thomomys eltisius fuscus. 



7626— No. 3 12 



