BIRDS OP PENNSYLVANIA. 113 



away. I am inclined to think that it sees less in the daytime than any 

 other species of our Owls, lor one can touch it without being noticed, 

 the bird taking flight more from alarm to its sense of hearing than any 

 other cause. 



u It generally frequents stone quarries or piles of rocks, beneath 

 which it takes shelter; and it is from this habit that the bird here is 

 known by the name of " Stone Owl." On the 25th of April, 1867, 1 

 was so fortunate as to find the nest of one of these birds. It was 

 placed or located in the hollow of a tree, about twenty feet from the 

 ground ; the entrance to the hole was very small, scarcely two inches 

 in diameter. On climbing the tree and looking in the hollow, I dis- 

 covered sitting on the bottom what I supposed might be a small Owl. 

 Uncertain as to the truth, I introduced a small stick into the hole, and 

 turned the bird over upon her side, she making no struggle whatever, 

 but remaining perfectly still as if dead. I discovered that she was 

 sitting upon a single egg. Supposing that she had but just com- 

 menced laying, I left her, and did not molest her again for several 

 days; on the fifth day after, I again examined the nest, and found 

 the bird on her egg. none other having been laid. I enlarged the 

 hole, and took the egg, leaving the Owl quietly sitting on the rotten 

 chips which formed the bottom of the nest. 



u The egg was white, with a bluish tint, like many of the other 

 Owls' eggs, nearly globular in form, and considerably smaller than the 

 egg of the Red or Mottled Owl." 



Dr. Elliott Coues, in his u Birds of the North-west, says : li Mr. Gen- 

 try informs me of a curious circumstance in regard to this Owl. Re- 

 ferring to the association of the Burrowing Owl of the West with the 

 prairie dog, he continues : ' In the hollow of an oak tree, not far from 

 Oermantown, lives an individual of the common chickaree squirrel 

 (Sciurus hudsonius), with a specimen of this little Owl as his sole 

 -companion. They occupy the same hole together in perfect harmony 

 and mutual goodwill. It is not an accidental, temporary association, 

 for the bird and the squirrel have repeatedly been observed to enter 

 the same hole together, as if they had always shared the apartment. 

 But what benefit can either derive from the other ?' " 



FOOD. 



This little Owl, although sometimes known to prey on small quad- 

 rupeds, principally mice, and at times on small birds, such as sparrows 

 and warblers, subsists mainly on the larger species of insects which it 

 is able to secure in its nocturnal wanderings. 



8 BIKDS. 



