
THE MOTTLED OWL. 373 
States, and extends its migration as far north as Greenland. 
Tn the States on the Atlantic coast, it is more numerous than 
any of the family Strigide. Although this species is not 
considered by many ornithologists migratory, yet from my 
own observations I believe that most of them leave us in the 
winter ; for while they are frequently taken here during the 
spring, summer, and fall months, they are seldom found in 
the winter. -Wilson considered the Mottled Owl a native of 
the northern regions, extending its migrations as far south as 
Pennsylvania in winter, yet the Red Owl he believes is not 
migratory. 
It is said that its power of vision is so imperfect that it 
will suffer itself sometimes to be taken in the hand when 
found away from its retreat in a clear day. That it can be 
taken in that way I know by experience, yet it does not ne- 
cessarily follow that it is owing to defective vision. Like 
the preceding owl, it can see tolerably well at noonday. One 
that I let loose in my office flew against the window with 
such force as to break the glass, through which he escaped, 
and alighted on the limb of a tree some twenty rods distant, 
a readily as any bird could. Seeing me coming with a gun, 
he flew into a dove-hole in the barn. This occurred in the 
_ Middle of the day, when the sun was shining clearly. An- 
other that I kept in a cage would greedily seize his meat in 
broad daylight, and eye me closely when approaching with 
_ 48 morsel, snapping its bill after the manner of owls. Three 
: that I tamed would come at call any time of the day from 
; their perch in the barn. The probability is, that the owl, 
_ Peviously to being taken by hand, has gorged itself gies 
food until unable to fly to its hiding-place, and thus remains 
Stupid during the day. The hawk will sometimes 


%& though asleep during the day, is now active and mes 
