Strix pratincola. — The Barn Owl is rare enough on Long Island to 
justify mention of each instance of its occurrence. The specimen here 
referred to was taken at Gardiners Island, and thus constitutes one of 
the more northern records for the species. Mr. E. B. Muchmore of East- 
hampton is the possessor of the mounted skin of this specimen. Here it 
was seen by the writer last summer (1899), and in reply to his inquiries 
concerning it, Mr. Muchmore writes: “It was picked up on Gardiners 
Island during the very severe weather of last March. It was very thin 
and had one foot broken. I should not have tried to save the specimen 
if it had not been a stranger to me.” In a subsequent communication in 
reply to an inquiry regarding the remote possibility of its having drifted 
ashore and hence involving a suggestion of other than natural causes for 
its presence here, Mr. Muchmore says that it was found away from the 
beach and that there were no indications of its having been washed 
ashore. He writes: “The Barn Owl spoken of was found away from 
where the water could possibly have washed it ashore ; and, furthermore, 
its condition indicated that it had not been floating in the water.” 
Auk, XVII, Jan. , 1900, p. 7o. 
Strix pratincola. American Barn Owl. — About the middle of 
September, 1898, Mr. Charles L. Smith of Utica was driving in the 
adjoining town of Marcy, when he saw an Owl in a tree beside the road. 
While he was watching the bird, it left its perch and flew to a neighbor- 
ing barnyard where it proceeded to “chase the chickens.” Mr. S. left 
his horse and went to the rescue of the chickens, expecting to see the 
Owl fly away, but instead, it sought safety under the barn (perhaps having 
been there before). Mr. S! crawled in after the bird and captured it alive 
and took it home with him. He kept it alive for some time but finally 
had it killed, mounted and placed in the store window, where I saw it and 
obtained from Mr. Smith this account of its curious capture. 
Strix pratincola. I am enabled, through the courtesy of Capt. J. G. 
Scott, to record an additional specimen of the' Barn Owl from Long 
Island, taken at a point near the locality at which the one I previously 
noted was secured (Auk, XVII, 1900, p. 70). The present record is that 
of a specimen shot by Capt. Scott at Oyster Pond, Montauk, Sept. 25, 
1900. I have not examined the bird; but his graphic description of the 
1 Monkey-faced Owl ’ in question leaves no doubt as to its identity. 
Auk, XIX, April., 1902, p . 6 
The Barn Owl on Long Island. — When Mr. Beard made the record of 
this species in ‘The Auk,’ Vol. XIX, p. 398, he evidently had overlooked 
the previous record of the same family of owls in Vol. Ill, p. 439. — 
William Dutcher, New York. , 
Auk, XX, Jan., 1603, p »/> 
Barn Owl on Long Island, N. Y. — On April 23, 1902, Mr. James 
Forster, Superintendent on Harbeck Place at Islip, L. I., sent me a fine 
adult American Barn Owl ( Strix pratincola ) to be mounted. The bird 
was in fine plumage but rather thin in flesh. No further data could be 
obtained, as Mr. Forster moved away shortly after. — Henry Mott 
Burtis, Babylon , L.I. XX, ApI%> 1903i p 
91 
