60 BARRED OWL. 



its genus. In one spring, at different times, I met with more 

 than forty of them, generally flying or sitting exposed. I also 

 once met with one of their nests, containing three young, in 



at, for to halloo after it does not seem to frighten it much. But if shot 

 at and missed, it removes to a considerable distance, after which, its 

 whah-whah-iohah is uttered with considerable pomposity. This owl 

 will answer the imitation of its own sounds, and is frequently decoyed 

 by this means. 



" The flight of the barred owl is smooth, light, noiseless, and capable 

 of being greatly protracted. I have seen them take their departure 

 from a detached grove in a prairie, and pursue a direct course towards 

 the skirts of the main forest, distant more than two miles, in broad day- 

 light. I have thus followed them with the eye until they were lost in 

 the distance, and have reason to suppose that they continued their flight 

 until they reached the woods. Once, whilst descending the Ohio, not 

 far from the well known Cave-in-rock, about two hours before sunset, 

 in the month of November, I saw a barred owl teased by several crows, 

 and chased from the tree in which it was. On leaving the tree, it 

 gradually rose in the air, in the manner of a hawk, and at length 

 attained so great a height, that our party lost sight of it. It acted, I 

 thought, as if it had lost itself, now and then describing small 

 circles, and flapping its wings quickly, then flying in zigzag lines. This 

 being so uncommon an occurrence, I noted it down at the time. I felt 

 anxious to see the bird return towards the earth, but it did not make 

 its appearance again. So very lightly do they fly, that I have frequently 

 discovered one passing over me, and only a few yards distant, by first 

 seeing its shadow on the ground, during clear moonlight nights, when 

 not the faintest rustling of its wings could be heard. 



" Their power of sight during the day seems to be rather of an equi- 

 vocal character, as I once saw one alight on the back of a cow, which it 

 left so suddenly afterwards, when the cow moved, as to prove to me that 

 it had mistaken the object on which it had perched for something else. 

 At other times, I have observed that the approach of the gray squirrel 

 intimidated them, if one of these animals accidentally jumped on a 

 branch close to them, although the owl destroys a number of them dur- 

 ing the twilight." 



Audubon has heard it said, in addition to small animals and birds, 

 and a peculiar sort of frog, common in the woods of Louisiana, that the 

 barred owl catches fish. He never saw this performed, though it may 

 be as natural for it as those species which have been ascertained to feed 

 on them. It is often exposed for sale in the New Orleans market, and 

 the Creoles make gumbo of it, and pronounce it palatable. 



In this place may be introduced another species, mentioned by 



