BARRED OWL. 
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versely banded above the upper breast, and longitudinally striped below this, with dusky-brown. Under wing and tail cov¬ 
erts, flanks, tibia, and tarsus, reddish-yellow, the under tail coverts beingstriped with dusky and the tarsus mixed with it. 
The face is grayish-white barred with dusky and the edge of the facial disk is dark-brown. 
Young. Birds in this stage are tinged with reddish-brown above, particularly on the white markings, while the same 
color pervades below. 
Nestlings. Are covered with a yellow down. Iris, dark-brown, bill, yellow, cere, greenish, claws, horn color, in all 
stages. Sexes, similar in color. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
Readily known from the preceding by the smaller size and yellowish tinging to the feathers, and from other species by 
the colors as described. The wings and tail are, perhaps, more frequently barred with yellowish than with brown. Spec¬ 
imens from Florida are darker than those from.the Northern States and are strongly tinged with reddish above and below, 
while the-toes of southern birds are quite destitute of feathers. Distributed, as a constant resident, throughout Eastern 
North America. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurements of male specimens. Length, 19*00; stretch, 44*00; wing, 13 00; tail, 8*00; bill, 1*35; tarsus, 
2*00. Longest specimen, 20*00; greatest extent of wing, 45*00; longest wing, 14*00; tail, 8*50; bill, 1*45; tarsus, 2*25. 
Shortest specimen, 17*00; smallest extent of wing, 43*00; shortest wing, 12*50; tail, 7*00; bill, 1*25; tarsus, 1*90. 
Average measurements of female specimens. Length, 20*00; stretch, 45*25; wing, 14*00; tail,8*50; bill, 1*45; tarsus, 
2*25. Longest specimen, 2.1*00; greatest extent of wing, 40*00; longest wing, 14*50; tail, 9*00; bill, 1*50; tarsus, 2*05. 
Shortest specimen, 19 00; smallest extent of wing, 44*00; shortest wing, 13*25; tail, 7*50; bill, 1*35; tarsus, 2 00. 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 
Nests, placed in natural cavities of trees or on the branches. They are either remodeled on the old nests of other birds 
or composed of sticks and twigs, lined with a scanty supply of leaves, etc. 
Eggs, three or four in number, rather oval in form, white in color, with the surface very smooth. Dimensions from 
1*60x2*00 to 1*75 x 2*20. 
HABITS. 
I have placed the birds now under consideration, among the Hooting Owls and they 
certainly proclaim their right to the title, most emphatically, for it would be difficult to 
find more noisy Owls. They are not only noisy, uttering their notes very frequently, but 
their cries are loud and are given with startling distinctness. A single prolonged hoot 
which is a preliminary to a series of lower sounds, is particularly noticeable, especially 
when heard near at hand, being uttered with such a peculiar intonation as to suggest su¬ 
pernatural origin; then, the notes which succeed the first outbreak, are so weird that they 
are not calculated to dispel the illusion, neither is a sight of the dark gray birds flying 
swiftly through the foliage on noiseless wings, at all reassuring for, in the dim twilight, 
nothing could well appear more ghostly to one who is inclined to believe in visitations 
from the unknown world. How different are the facts in this case from what a morbid fan¬ 
cy pictures them. The outcry is but the call of an awakening Barred Owl to its mate for 
whom he is seeking and for whose benefit he is singing his quaint love song as he goes. 
To me the notes, although given in a minor tone, ate not*even disagreeable, but then I 
have a particular liking for Owls and have at different times, kept almost all of our native 
species as pets. A pair of Barred Owls which I once had were particular favorites as they 
were very tame and notably gentle, never attempting to bite when I caressed them. They 
would take food from my hand and would frequently fly to meet me when I entered the 
the room in which they were confined. The male was finally killed by a Great Horned 
Owl after which I gave the female her liberty, a favor which she doubtless appreciated 
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