BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
153 
rocky retreats, it is seldom met with, hence is regarded as one of onr 
rarest residents. The young of this bird, taken in the vicinity of Phila¬ 
delphia, have been seen by Prof. Gentry, and in E. A. Samuel’s work, 
“ Out Northern and Eastern Birds ,” the following interesting account is 
given by Richard Christ of a nest that he found April 25, 1867, at 
Nazareth, Pennsylvania: 
“ This, the smallest of all our owls, is also the most rare, but a single 
specimen being seen in a period of several years. It is very tame when 
found, permitting one to approach very close to it before flying away. 
I am inclined to think that it sees less in the daytime than any other 
species of our owls, for one can touch it without being noticed, the bird 
taking flight more from alarm to its sense of hearing than any other 
cause. 
“ It generally frequents stone quarries or piles of rocks, beneath which 
it takes shelter; and it is from this habit that the bird here is known by 
the name of ‘Stone Owl.’ On the 25th of April, 1867, I was so fortu¬ 
nate as to find the nest of one of these birds. It was placed or located 
in the hollow of a tree, about twenty feet from the ground; the en¬ 
trance to the hole was very small, scarcely two inches in diameter. On 
climbing the tree and looking in the hollow, I discovered sitting on the 
bottom what I supposed might be a small owl. Uncertain as to the 
truth, I introduced a small stick into the hole, and turned the bird over 
upon her side, she making no struggle whatever, but remaining per¬ 
fectly still as if dead. I discovered that she was sitting upon a single egg. 
Supposing that she had but just commenced laying, I left her, and did 
not molest her again for several days; on the fifth day after I again ex¬ 
amined the nest, and found the bird on her egg, none other having been 
laid. I enlarged the hole, and took the egg, leaving the owl quietly sit¬ 
ting on the rotten chips which formed the bottom of the nest. 
“ The egg was white with a bluish tint, like many of the other owls’ 
eggs, nearly globular in form, and considerably smaller than the egg of 
the Red or Mottled Owl.” 
Dr. Elliott Coues, in his “ Birds of the Northwest ,” says: “ Mr. Gentry 
informs me of a curious circumstance in regard to this owl. Referring 
to the association of the Burrowing Owl of the west with the prairie 
dog, he continues: ‘In the hollow of an oak tree, not far from German¬ 
town, lives an individual of the common chickaree squirrel ( Seiurus 
hudsonius ), with a specimen of this little owl as his sole companion. 
They occupy the same hole together in perfect harmony and mutual 
good-will. It is not an accidental, temporary association, for the bird 
and the squirrel have repeatedly been observed to enter the same hole 
together, as if they had always shared the apartment. But what benefit 
can either derive from the other ? ’ ” 
Mr. Otto Behr writes me as follows of this species: “ The Acadian 
Owl is quite common here (Lopez, Sullivan county), though not often 
