OWLS. 219 
     
    
   
   
    
     Ham/n. iliastern North America. northward to New Brunswick and .‘lllli 
     
     nesota: igenerully resident throughout its range. 
     
    

    
     Washington. common 1’. li. Sing Sing, eonnnon l’. 1%. ('ainlvridge, emu- 
     
     inon l’. R. 
     
    

    
     Alas-t. generally in a hollow tree. ILZHII/s. four to six. 1'53 x 1‘22. 
     
    

    
     The Screech (twl frequently makes its home near our dwellings. 
     
     and sometimes selects a convenient. nook in them in which to lay its 
     
     eggs. But its favorite retreat is an old apple orchard. where the hollow 
     
     limbs offer it a secure refuge from the mobs of small birds which are 
     
     ever ready to attack it. A search in the trees of an orchard of this kind 
     
     'arely fails to result in the discovery of one or more of these feathered 
     
     inhabitants who may have resided there for years. They attempt to 
     
     escape capture by a show of resistance and a eastanetlike cracking of 
     
     the bill. but when brought from their hiding place sit quietly, dazzled 
     
     for a moment by the sudden light. They then elongate themselves 
     
     and almost close their eyes, thus rendering themselves as inconspicuous 
     
     as possible. How diiferently they appear when the western sky fades 
     
     and their day begins! Is any bird more thoroughly awake than a 
     
     hungry Screech 0w] 2 With ear-tufts erected and his great, round eyes 
     
     opened to the utmost, he is the picture of alertness. 
     
    

    
     When night comes one may hear the Screech Owl’s tremulous, 
     
     wailing whistle. It is a weird, melancholy call. welcomed only by 
     
     those who love Nature's voice whatever be the medium through which 
     
     she speaks. 
     
    

    
     “ Of 255 stomachs examined. 1 contained poultry; 38. other birds: 
     
     91, mice; 11, other mammals: 2, lizards: 4, batraehians; 1. fish; 100, 
     
     insects: 5, spiders; t). crawfisl 7. miscellaneous: 2, scorpions; ‘2, 
     
     earthworms; and ~13 were empty ” (Fisher). 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     3733.. M. a. floridanus I'lx’z'rlfnr.‘\. FLORIDA Sent—tiara Own—Much 
     
     like the precedina. but smaller. with the colors deeper and markings of the 
     
     under parts heavier. \\‘.. 5'05: T.. 2-5”. 
     
    

    
     h’alige.——Florida and Gulf coast region to Louisiana. 
     
    
   
   
    
     375. Bubo virginianus ( Cinch. GREAT Ilonxm) OWL. All—Size 
     
     large; ear~tut'ts conspicuous. nearly two inches in length ; upper parts mottled 
     
     with varyingr shades of ochraecous—luiti and black: facial disk oehrueeous- 
     
     bufl': ear—tut'ts black and oeliraeeous—bufi': a white patch on the throat. rest 
     
     of' the under parts oehraeeousdrutl'. barred with black; legs and feet t'eath- 
     
     cred: eyes yellow. 6 l“. Zi‘oo; \\'_. is-oo; T.. sum; ’,.. i-uo~ 
     
     a; northward to Labrador and southward 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     [fault/12w liastern North Ainerie 
     
     to (‘osta Kit-a: resident throughout its range. 
     
    

    
     Washington. rare 1'. l\’. Sing" Sing. tolerably common 1’. R. Cambridge. 
     
     occasional at all seasons. 
     
    

    
     .Wst. gl‘llt'l‘ull)’ in an old t‘rou‘s. llawk‘s. or Squirrel‘s nest. Iii/ye. two to 
     
     three. Q-go x 1‘81 .