OWLS. 215

\Vilshington. eonnnon l‘. ll. Sing Sing. eonnnon l’. R. Cambridge, not common l’. li.

Alas-t. generally in an old Crow's, Hawk‘s, or Npiirrel‘s nest. /:':/gs,tl1rce to six. 1'63 x 1~:;o.

" This speeies. like the Sereeeh Owl, is nocturnal in its habits. and diiTers from the Short-eared ()wl in never hunting during the day- time. It usually spends the day in some evergreen woods. thiek wil~ low copse, or alder swamp, although rarely it may be found in open places. . . .

“ The bird is not wild. and will allow itself to be closely approached. When (conscious that its presenee is recognized, it sits upright. draws the feathers close to the body, and ereets the ear-tufts, resembling in appearance a pieee ol' weather-beaten bark more than a bird. . . .

"Like the other Owls. its flight i., slow and wavering. but in com- mon with them it is buoyant and devoid of any appearance of h ~ari- ness. The note of this Owl is aid by some to resemble the noise made by kittens. while others state it is like the barking of small dogs.

“Of 107 stomachs examined. 1 eontained a game bird; 15, other birds; 84, mice; 5, other mammals; 1, inseets; and 15 were empty ” (Fisher).

367. Asio mcipitrinus (Pr/NJ. Snom-nmmi Own .At¢I.——Ear—tuf‘ts very short. diflieult to distinguish in a dried skin: upper parts t'useous. the feathers inamined with ereain-bufi‘or oehraeeous-bufi. not mottled with white; mil with tiehraeei)us—huti' and t'useous hands of about equal width; under

parts varying from whitish to oehraeeous—lrutl'. the breast broadly and the belly more finely .‘II'KUIII'IEIZ with t‘useous: eyes yellow. 1... 1560; “.1275; T., 0'05: l’;.. l‘EO.

l://ll!/t’.*—N(‘iil'l'\v msmopolitan, l»i'emliii;_r in the ['nited States loeally from Virginia northward.

“'zl>llltr.’toii. eonnnon W. V. Sing Sing. easual. (‘ambridga uneommnn T. \'.. .-\pl.: Oet. and Nov. l

Nest. on the, ground, in grassy marshes. liq/s, four to seven. 1~i‘.o x 121.1.

This species might: well be named Marsh Owl. for. unlike most of our Owls. it does not frequent the woods. but lives in eras, \' It is not shy and does not take wins: until almost stepped upon. when

marshes.

it arises noiselOssly and flies low over the marsh. Sometimes it aliehts on a knoll or slight, elevation and wateiies the intruder in the intent, half—human manner of Owls. During the migrations and in the winter this bird is oeeasirmally found in tloeks or eolonies containingr one or two hundred individuals. “ Of 101 stomaehs examined. 11 eontained small birds; 77. miee; 7. other mammals: 7. inseets: and 14 were empty " (Fisher).

368. Syrnium nebulosumfl'brsm. Bantu-:ntiwi.: lluu'r‘ilWL. (See Fig. 31,) AIL—No ear—tufts; upper parts grayish brown. eaeh feather with