Nyctala acadica . 
Upper Megalloway River, Maine. 
1898. Still later (after supper in camp) something flitted by 
Sept.20. just within the extreme outer circle of light from the camp 
fire. It looked like a large bird but just beyond the spot 
where I had lost sight of it I came suddenly face to face 
with a Saw-whet Owl. He was perched on a drooping spray of 
arbor vitae scarce six feet above the ground and within five 
■ feet of my head, balancing himself gracefully with half-opened 
wings. Such a pretty, alert little creature, as unlike as 
^ possible to c-he grotesque, blinking birds we find dozing by 
day in our Massachusetts woods. I wish I could have had a 
better look at him but the moment after I discovered him he 
took flight again and brushing close past me flitted back to¬ 
wards the camp apparently alighting nearly over it although I 
failed to find him again. 
