clxvii 
STRiGiDiE. BIRDS. Strigid®. 
THE SPARROW OWL [Nyctale richardsoni).—'\'\\\s 
is an exceedingly rare bird in New England, being 
confined mostly to tlie extreme northern portions of 
North America. Specimens ha.ve been taken in 
various parts of Massachusetts. It is common at 
Mndson’s Bay. It is nearly related to the N. funerea 
of Europe, both having been recorded under one 
name by some authors. Its length is about ten and 
a lialf inches. 
SAW-WHET OWL {Nyctale acadica), called also 
the Acadian Owl. — 'I’his is rare in New England, 
though found occasionally in the summer months. 
Audubon says of it: “'I’he sound of its love notes 
bears a great resemblance to the noise produced by 
filing the teeth of a large saw. 'I’hese notes when 
coming, as they frequently do, from the interior of a 
deep forest, produce a very peculiar effect upon the 
traveler, who, not being aware of their real nature, 
expects, as he advances on his route, to meet with 
shelter under a saw-mill at no great distance.” 'I’his 
Owl is also called the White-fronted and Kirtland’s 
Owl. Audubon gives an account of the singular 
ventriloquial powers of this bird. On one occasion 
he heard what seemed to him to be the faint notes 
of a distant bell. Upon a[)proaching the place from 
which the sounds proceeded, they appeared at one 
time to be in front of him, then behind him, now on 
his right hand, now on his left, again at a great 
distance, and then close behind him. At last he 
discovered the bird at the entrance of a small hole 
in a birch tree, where it was calling to its mate. As 
he stood at the foot of the tree, in full sight of the 
bird, he observed the singular power it possessed of 
altering its voice, making it seem near or remote — a 
faculty which he had never seen in any other bird. 
LITTLE RED OWL {Scops asio), also called the 
Mottled Owl and Screech Owl. — Several varieties 
of this bird are recorded by Prof. Baird in the North 
American Birds, under separate heads. Scops asio, 
var. fioridana, is an extreme southern form, and is 
niMch smaller than the northern ones. S. asio, var. 
maccali. Western ISlottled Owl, is found in I.ower 
and Southern California. S. asio, var. kennicotti, is 
fiom the north-western corner of North America. 
It is a very dark variety, and differs in its markings 
somewhat from the asio. 'I'he Mottled Owl is wholly 
a nocturnal bird. “During the night it utters a very 
peculiar wailing cry, not unlike the half-whining, 
half-barking complaints of a young puppy; alterna- 
ting from high to low, intermingled with deep gut- 
teral trills. Its flight is noiseless and gliding, 
and it moves in a manner so nearly silent as to be 
hardly perceptible. It can hardly be said to con- 
struct any nest, but lines the hollow in which it 
rears its young with a few loose leave.s, dry grasses 
and feathers. 'I'he eggs are usually five or six in 
mnnber, pure white, and nearly round.” — Brewer. 
FEILNER’S OWL (-S'. Jiammeola).—'Vh\s. bird is 
found in Guatemala and Central Mexico, and in 
California. It is named after Capt. John Feilner, 
who obtained a specimen at Fort Crook, in Califor- 
nia, thus introducing it to our Fauna. Its habits 
are supposed to be the same as those of S. asio. 
GREAT-HORNED OWL {Bubo virgmianns).— \'\\\^ 
species inhabits Eastern North America, south of 
Labrador, west to the Missouri, and south through 
the Atlantic region to Mexico. 'I'hree varieties are 
recorded. B. virginianus, var. arcticus, or Western 
Great-horned Owl, is of lighter color. It is found in 
the western region of North America, from the in- 
terior Arctic districts to the 'I’able-lands of Mexico. 
B. virginianus, var. pacificus, is found on the Pacific 
Coast. “'I'he Great-horned Owl has an extended 
distribution throughout at least the whole of North 
America, from ocean to ocean, and from Central 
America to the Arctic regions. 'I'liroughout this 
widely extended area it is everywhere more or less 
abundant, except where it has been driven out by 
the increase of population. In this wide distribution 
the species naturally assumes varying forms, and ex- 
hibits considerable diversities of coloring. These are 
provided with distinctive names to mark the races, 
but should all be regarded as belonging to one species, 
as they do not present any distinctive variation in 
habit.” — Brewer, N. A. Birds. 'I’he Great-horned 
Owl is resident in ail the New England States 
throughout the year. Wilson says: “Jlis favorite 
residence is in the deep solitudes of swamps, covered 
with a growth of gigantic timber; and here, as soon 
as evening draws on, and mankind retire to rest, he 
sends forth such sounds as seem scarcely to belong 
to this world, startling the solitary pilgrim as he 
slumbers by the forest-fire, making night hideous. 
Along the mountainous shores of the Ohio, and 
amidst the deep forests of Indiana, alone, and repos- 
ing in the woods, this ghastly watchman has fre- 
quently warned me of the approach of morning, and 
amused me with his singular exclamations, sometimes 
sweeping down and around my fire, uttering a loud 
and sudden IFaHy/t (9.' Waugh 0! sufficient to have 
alarmed a whole garrison.” 'I'he length of the male is 
twenty inches ; the female is about twenty-four inches. 
SNOWY OWL {Nyctea — Plate 4, fig. 12.— 
'I'his is a very common winter visitor on the New 
England Coast. It is found in the northern I'egions 
of both continents; migrating southward in win- 
ter. In Canada it is resident, where it breeds, 
making its nest upon the ground. It feeds on the 
dead fish that are thrown up by the tides, and is 
known to feed on carrion at times. In Southern 
New England the Snowy Owl is generally seen more 
abundant when a severe and protracted snow-storm 
has prevailed ; at such times this bird is no doubt 
driven to eat the refuse of the beaches and open 
places, as is the case with the Common Crow. 'I'his 
Owl hunts equally well in the daylight and twilight, 
but prefers the dull, gloomy days. Audubon says 
that it captures fishes by standing quietly by the 
margin of a pool and seizing them in its claws. Wil- 
son says of it: “'I'he color of this bird is well 
suited for concealment while roaming over the gen- 
eral waste of snow; and its flight, strong and swift, 
very similar to that of some of our large Hawks. Its 
hearing must be exquisite, if we judge from the 
largeness of these organs in it; and its voice is so 
dismal that, as Pennant observes, it adds horror 
