BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
149 
ral History of AlashaA says ; “ Among- the natives of the Yukon district 
the liver of this bird is used as a love-philter. The liver is dried and 
reduced to a powder, and placed, unknown to the person to whom the 
philter is to be administered, in some food. On eating the food the de- 
sired affection is supposed to make itself evident. I knew of an incident 
where a native endeavored, by this means, to regain the affection of his 
wife. The mother-in-law had more potency than dried owl-liver, and as 
she controlled her daughter the philter was as naught. It is adminis- 
tered indifferently, by man or woman, and is frequently used by the 
Eskimo.” 
From the following list it will be observed that this owl very seldom 
is found breeding in this state : 
County. 
Observers. 
Remarks. 
Bradford 
J. L. Camp 
Winter visitor. 
Do. 
A. T. Lilley 
Migrant. 
Berks, 
Jonas Stern 
Migrant in winter. 
Do 
D. F. Keller 
Winter visitor. 
Bucks, 
S. Edward Paschall 
Winter visitor. 
Clinton, 
Dr. Van Fleet, 
Migrant. 
Chester, 
B. H. Warren, 
Winter resident. 
Dauphin, 
W. W. Stoey 
Migrant; possibly breeds. 
Erie 
G. B. Sennett, 
Migrant. 
Lycoming 
A. Kock, 
Migrant; possibly breeds. 
Lackawanna, .... 
G. P. Friant 
Winter visitor. 
Lehigh • . . 
J. F. Kocher, 
Migrant. 
Lancaster, 
Dr. A. C. Treichler, 
Common in winter; breeds occasionally. 
Lebanon 
Geo. R. Ross, 
Winter visitor. 
Montgomery 
Thomas S. Gillin, 
Common in winter. 
Northampton 
0. B. Hark, 
Winter resident. 
Do. .... 
Dr. J. W. Detwiller 
Migrant. 
Perry, 
H. J. Roddy, 
Migrant. 
Philadelphia, .... 
Rev. Joseph Johnson 
Winter visitor. 
Do. .... 
J. P. Ball 
Migrant. 
Venango, 
J. R. Robertson 
Migrant. 
Washington, .... 
J. S. Nease, 
Winter visitor. 
Do. .... 
M. Compton 
Winter visitor. 
Do. .... 
W. T. Warrick, 
Winter visitor. 
Nuttall says : “ Its food is almost exclusively mice, for which it watches, 
seated on a stump, with all the vigilance of a cat, listening attentively 
to the low squeak of its prey, to which it is so much alive as to be some- 
times brought in sight by imitating the sound.” In the disgorged pel- 
lets of this species examined by Audubon, he found the remains of bones 
of small quadrupeds, mixed with hair, and remains of various beetles. 
The food of eleven of these owls examined by me will be found in the 
following table : 
No. 
Date. 
Locality. 
Foou-Materials. 
1 
Jan. 4, 1880 
Chester county. Pa. , 
Field mice. 
2 
Jan. 5, 1880 
Chester county. Pa 
Field mice. 
3 
Mar. 17, 1882, 
Purchased at Philadelphia Market 
Field mice. 
4 
Nov. 13, 1883 
Delaware county. Pa 
Field mice. 
5 
Nov. 7, 1883 
Cecil county, Md., 
Field mice. 
ti 
Nov. 1, 1885 
Chester county. Pa. , 
Beetles and field mice 
T 
Mar. — , 188B 
Chester county. Pa. , 
Beetles and field mice 
8 
Nov. 21. 188G 
Chester countv, Pa. , . 
Field mice. 
9 
Nov. 25, 1886 
Chester countv. Pa., 
Field mice. 
10 
Nov. 27, 1886, 
Chester county, Pa., 
Field mice. 
11 
Dec. 8, 1886, 
Chester county. Pa 
Field mice. 
‘ •* I have found the Swamp or Short-eared Owl at all times of the year in the Conewago Valley ; this 
leads me to believe that it breeds here, sometimes, or at least on the Blue mountains, in the vicinity of 
Colebrook and Mt, Gretna. ” — Treichler. 
