55 
RED and mottled owls, etc. 
ness to, and can attest the truth of most of the facts 
which I have to state. 
Sixth mo. \Hth, 1833. — Found a company of four 
gray or mottled owls, two of which were in full 
plumage, the other two were young. I killed one 
of the old, and the two young ones. The former, 
and one of the latter, are now in my cabinet ; the 
other, I believe, is still in the possession of John K. 
Townsend. These birds, both old and young, 
were unequivocally mottled owls, without the slight- 
est shade of red about them. The young ones were, 
moreover, about the size and age, and in the same 
state of plumage with my living red owl, affording 
an excellent opportunity for comparison. In the 
one, every feather was more or less red; in the 
other, no shade of red appeared. The mottled pa- 
rent, therefore, has mottled young. Thus both the 
old and the young are sometimes red, sometimes 
mottled. 
The conclusion is, therefore, evident, either that 
the color of both old and young is variable and un- 
certain, or that they are specifically distinct. But 
with the single exception of Cabot’s birds, the 
young appear to partake of the color of the parent • 
nor is there any analogy among the owls to sustain 
a different opinion. Hence I have adopted the 
opinion that they are essentially different. 
With the exception of the young birds, I have 
not had an opportunity to compare recent speci- 
mens, and am unable to indicate any specific cha- 
rac ers y which they can be distinguished, except 
color, liut as this appears to be permanent in both 
