MOTTLED AND RED OWL. 121 
Spec. Charact. — Dark brown, inclining to ferruginous and ash, 
mottled with black ; wings spotted with white ; beneath whitish, 
spotted with black and brown ; the tail even, reaching to the tip 
of the wings ; feet covered with short feathers nearly to the 
claws. — Young , tawny red, with narrow dark spots along the 
shafts of the feathers. — The adult , covered with transverse, mi- 
nute, zigzag lines and points. 
This common, small, and handsome species, known 
as the Little Screech-Owl , is probably resident in every 
part of the United States, and, in fact, inhabits from 
Greenland to Florida. They appear more abundant in 
autumn and winter, as at those seasons, their food failing, 
they are obliged to approach habitations and barns, in 
which the mice they chiefly prey on now assemble ; they 
also lay wait for small birds, and feed on beetles, crick- 
ets, and other insects. Their nest is usually in the hollow 
of an old orchard tree, about the months of May or 
June; it is lined carelessly with a little hay, leaves, and 
feathers, and the eggs are commonly 4 to 6, white, 
and nearly round. Aldrovandus remarks, that the Great 
Horned Owl provides so plentifully for its young, that a 
person might obtain some dainties from the nest, and yet 
leave a sufficiency for the owlets besides ; the same re- 
mark may also apply to this species, as in the hollow 
stump of an apple tree, which contained a brood of these 
young Owls, were found several Bluebirds, Blackbirds, 
and Song-Sparrows, intended as a supply of food. 
During the day they either retire into hollow trees and 
unfrequented barns, or hide in the thickest evergreens. 
At times they are seen abroad by day, and in cloudy 
weather they wake up from their diurnal slumbers a con- 
siderable time before dark. In the day they are always 
drowsy, or, as if dozing, closing, or scarcely half opening 
their heavy eyes ; presenting the very picture of sloth 
and nightly dissipation. When perceived by the smaller 
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