2 
THE SCIEN TIS r. 
night fall, tliey scoui' the adjacent fields 
and meadows after their favorite food 
the field mouse, the bones and fur of 
which, form a large share of the pellets 
they eject at their roosting places. 
Only once in an experience of 25 years 
collecting in this portion of the state, 
liave I found the nest of this species. 
This was on the 15th of April, 1870. The 
nest was an old weather-beaten structure 
formerly occupied by a crow or squirrel. 
It was situated on a large chestnut tree 
in a secluded part of the woods. The 
eggs were much incubated, showing that 
they were laid not far from the 1st of 
April. While I was at the nest, the old 
bird exhibited great distress, fluttering 
on the ground and trying in a pitiable 
manner to lead me away. These eggs 
average in size 1.65 by 1.26. They are 
glossj^ white, nearly even ended and 
somewhat more elongated tiian the 
typical owl's egg. 
The Short-eared Owl, 367, appears 
abundantly during cold winters in com- 
panj^ with the foregoing species, closely 
associating with them, and they are 
frequently mistaken for each other by 
careless observei-s. The Short-eai-ed Owl 
is more boreal in its summer home, com- 
paratively few having been known to 
build within the limits of the United 
States on the Atlantic coast. 
Tlie Barred Owl, 368. This bird while 
a resident of this section, is, at least in 
this locality, an extremely rare one. 
Vague rumors of their nest having been 
found hei e haye come to me but nothing 
authentic and 1 have yet to meet with 
my first specimen. 
The Acadian Owl, 372, is a scarce 
winter visitant, one coming occasionally 
into the hands of our Taxidermists ar.d 
Collectors. 'J'heir diminutive size and 
retiring habits may make them seem 
more rare than they really are. 
The Screech Owl 373, is by far the 
commonest of the family. Scarcely an 
old apple orchard but has its pair that 
shelter and breed in such favorite 
locations. They are disposed to court 
the presence of man and freq iently take 
up their abodes in barns and outbuild- 
ings, subsisting on the mice obtainable 
in such situations. The eggs are de- 
posited here from the first to the 15Lh of 
April, a deep cavity on a partly decayed 
tree being the favorite situation. The 
curious variation in the coloi'ing of these 
bii ds has attracted much attention irom 
Ornithologists and it is not unconnnon 
for members of the same family or 
bi-ood to show theextrenjes of coloration 
from red to gray. 
The Great Horned Owl, 375, is a con- 
stant resident vvhei-ever found, though 
during the past fifteen or twenty years 
they have become exceedingly scarce. 
Myfii-stset of these eggs was taken on 
the 22d of February, 1868. The weather 
was extremely cold and tiie ground 
co\'ered deeply with snow. The eggs 
were perfectly fresh at that time. Since 
then 1 have taken some twenty sets of 
these eggs in this vicinity. With a 
single exception of three, the comple- 
ment consisted of two eggs, and the date 
of finding ranged from February 1st to 
March 3rd. in all stages of incubution. 
The nests were all open ones placed in 
lai'ge ti-ees at heights varying from 20 to 
90 fee*: from the ground and in nearly 
evei-y instance were structures formerly 
occupied bv hawks, crows and squirrels 
Occasionally I have known of theii nest- 
ing in hollow trees when suitable op- 
})oitunfties offered. The eggs wea-e 
almost invariably of the typical globular 
shape, yellowish white and considerably 
granulated. 
Snowy Owl, 376. This magnificent bird 
is known to this portion of the country 
as a rare winter visitant, coming to us in 
sparing numbers only during the most 
severe winters. Its diurnal feeding habit, 
and conspicuous appearance and a want 
