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There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924022528685 LABORATORY o> OANITHOLOGY COSMELL UNIVERSITY ITHACA, NEW YORK The Birds of Ohio THE BIRDS OF OHIO A COMPLETE, SCIENTIFIC AND POPULAR DESCRIPTION OF THE 320 SPECIES OF BIRDS FOUND IN THE STATE BY WILLIAM LEON DAWSON, A.M., B.D. WITH INTRODUCTION AND ANALYTICAL KEYS BY LYNDS JONES, M. Sc. INSTRUCTOR IN ZOOLOGY IN OBERLIN COLLEGE. ILLUSTRATED BY 80 PLATES IN COLOR-PHOTOGRAPHY, AND MORE THAN 200 ORIGINAL HALF-TONES, SHOWING THE FAVORITE HAUNTS OF THE BIRDS, FLOCKING, FEEDING, NESTING, ETC., FROM PHOTO- GRAPHS TAKEN BY THE AUTHOR AND OTHERS. SOLD ONLY BY SUBSCRIPTION Vou. II. COLUMBUS THIS WHEATON PUBLISHING CO. 1903 AIL RIGHTS RESERVED 3I%333 CopyRIGHT 1902 BY THe WHEATON PUBLISHING Co. Half-tone work by ‘The Bucher Engraving Co. Composition and Presswork by The New Franklin Printing Co. Binding by the Ruggles-Gale Co. TOPYAIGHT 1900, BY A. W MUMFORD, CHICAGO. AVED (MW OHIO BY THE WHEATON PUBLISHING GOs RIGHTS RESE! AMERICAN BARN OWL Strix pratinecola ¥ Life-size THE CAROLINA PAROQUET. — No. 161. CAROLINA PAROQUET. A. O. U. No. 382. Conurus carolinensis (Linn.). Synonyms.—CaroLINA PARRAKEET; PARAKEET; PARROQUET. Description.—Adult: Head and neck all around bright yellow; forehead, lores and cheeks orange-red ; remaining plumage bright green, most of the feathers with blackish shafts, variegated with faint bluish and yellow-green on wings; the bend of the wing orange, the edge yellow; the inner webs of wing-quills fuscous ; tail regularly graduated, dull yellowish green below; bill white; feet flesh color. Young: Plain green. Length 12.00-13.50 (304.8-342.9); wing 7.00-7.60 (177.8-193.) ; tail 5.25-7.00 (133.3-177.8) ; bill .qo (22.9). Recognition Marks.—Little Hawk size; bright green, with orange and yel- ow head. Nesting.—Not known to have bred in Ohio, but probably did so. Nest, for- merly described as in hollow trees, but now believed to nest in loose colonies, each nest being placed near the end of a horizontal branch in a cypress or other tree; a loose bunch of sticks, something like a Mourning Dove’s. Eggs, 2-5, white. Av. size 1.40 X 1.10 (35.6 x 27.9). General Range.—Formerly Florida and the Gulf States north to Maryland, the Great Lakes, Iowa and Nebraska, west to Colorado, the Indian Territory and Texas, and straggling north-eastward to Pennsylvania and New York. Now restricted to Florida, Arkansas and Indian Territory, where it is only of local occurrence. Range in Ohio.—Formerly common, but now extinct. MANY causes have conspired to bring about the total extermination within our bounds of this once abundant bird, but the chief cause was “Der Fluch der Schonheit” (the curse of beauty). It was not possible that in an age of guns and women a creature of such prominence and beauty should have been spared to grace our landscape with its living green. Brilliant plumage and a dashing figure were alone sufficient to doom their possessor to destruction — and worse, namely millinery appropriation — but when to these were added a strident voice and a fondness for fruits and young grains, the case became quite hopeless. There are gray-haired men still among us who remember the shrieking companies of “parrots” which used to haunt the bottom lands and go charging about the sycamores like gusts of mad leaves; but to-day only the cunning plume-hunter or thrice-lucky ornithologist may penetrate to the remaining fastnesses of the species in the everglades of Florida. The flight of the Parrakeets was described as being graceful and very swift, comparable in both respects to that of the Passenger Pigeon. The birds moved about in companies of from fifty to five hundred individuals; and when making extended flights or when coming down to feed, the flock fell into a V-shaped figure, somewhat like that affected by the Canada Geese. Altho 370 THE CAROLINA PAROQUET. appearing rather awkward in confinement, where their movements were restricted, the birds moved easily through the branches of a tree, now swing- ing head downward to reach a drooping seed, now regaining the perch by the aid of the powerful beak, which was used as a third (or ,first) hand. The birds were very noisy, especially during flight and at meals, scream- ing and chattering like nothing else in all the wood. But during the middle of the day they rested silently in the dense forest, or cooed tenderly if it were the mating season. Their favorite food was the cockle-burr (Xanthium canadense) which grows abundantly in low places. Besides this they ate wild fruit of many kinds,—persimmons, wild grapes, pawpaws,—as well as beech nuts, acorns, and the round seed-ball of the sycamore. When the settlers came, wheat in the milk was found to be very toothsome, and the bounties of the orchard irresistible. If reports are true these gay Phil- istines did not always stop when their bellies were full but sometimes wantonly destroyed the growing crops of our hard-working fathers. Toward evening the companies retired to the seclusion of great hollow trees, mostly sycamores, where they “hung out,” or rather hung up, for the night. The great beak, which did duty for both hands and face day- times, must needs render additional service, as a hammock-hook, at night. It was in hollow trees also that they nested, according to the most reliable of the accounts which have come down to us. In comparatively recent times Mr. Brewster has established the fact on good authority that they breed, at least in the South, in colonies in cypress trees,—the nest being a mere bunch of sticks placed at the forks of horizontal limbs, and contain- ing, as is supposed, up to four or five white eggs. It is still probable, how- ever, that in the Middle States they once nested as described by Audubon and Wilson. Many strange stories are told of this bird which, at this late date, it is impossible definitely to discredit or verify. Here is one which has the sanction of recent authority. In the “Birds of Indiana,” Prof. A. W. Butler publishes the following paragraph, as supplied to him by Prof. John Collett: “In 1842, Return Richmond, of Lodi (Parke County), Indiana, cut down in the cold weather of winter a sycamore tree some four feet in diameter. In its hollow trunk he found hundreds of Parakeets in a quiescent or semi- torpid condition. The weather was too cold for the birds to fly, or even to make any exertion to escape. Mr. Richmond cut off with his saw a section of the hollow trunk some five feet long, cut out a doorway one foot by two in size, nailed over it a wire screen of his fanning-mill, rolled this cumber- some cage into the house and placed in it a dozen of the birds. They soon began to enjoy the feed of fruit, huckleberries and nuts he gave them, and he had the pleasure of settling absolutely the question of how they slept. At night they never rested on a perch, but suspended themselves by their THE AMERICAN BARN OWL, . 371 beaks, and with their feet on the side of their cage. This was repeated night after night of their captivity.” There is every reason to suppose that the Carolina Paroquet was locally common throughout the state at the beginning of the nineteenth century. In 1831 Audubon notes their marked decrease in numbers: ‘‘Where iba five years ago they were plentiful, scarcely any are now to be seen. At the present day very few are to be found higher than Cincinnati, nor is it until you reach the mouth of the Ohio that Parrakeets are to be met with in considerable numbers.” In 1838 Caleb Atwater writes: “A few years since Parrakeets, in large flocks, lived in the woods along the Ohio River from Miller’s bottom downwards, and along the Scioto River, upwards from its mouth to where Columbus now stands. ‘They are still in the bot- toms below Chillicothe, near the river, where there is proper food for them to eat, and birds enough for them to torment with their squalling noise.” The last authentic record is that made by William S. Sullivant, LL. D., in July, 1862, when he saw a boisterous flock of twenty-five or thirty indi- viduals in the elms of the Capitol Square in Columbus. No. 162. AMERICAN BARN OWL. A. O. U. No. 365. Strix pratincola Bonap. Synonym.—MonxEy-FAceD OWL. Description.—Adult: General color of upper parts ochraceous yellow; this lightly overlaid or mottled with gray, the typical mottled gray feathers having dusky centers and white tips; indistinct dusky bars on wing-quills and tail-feathers, clearest centrally ; entire under parts white, usually more or less washed with ful- vous or tawny, and sparingly but sharply speckled with dusky; facial disk white or whitish or tinged variously with ochraceous-buff, dark brown, or even claret; the edges of the disk rusty and dark brown on the tips of the feathers ; bill light ; feet light, nearly naked. The folded wing extends to or beyond the end of the tail. Nestlings are covered with fluffy white down. Length 14.00-18.00 (355.6- 457.2); wing 12.25-14.00 (311.2-355. 6) ; tail 5.25-7.50 (133.3-190.5) ; tarsus 2.25- 3.25 (57.2- -82.6) ; bill along culmen 1.00-1.25 (25.4-31.8). Recognition Marks.—Crow size; light, colors, especially below; strongly marked facial disk; top-heavy appearance. Nest, in hollow trees or in crevices about towers, pigeon-houses, eartn-banks, etc., lined scantily with sticks and trash. Eggs, 5-11, white, ovate. Av. size, 1.70 X 1.30 (43.2 X 33.). General Range.—United States, rarely to the northern border, and Ontario, southward through Mexico; northern limit of breeding range about latitude 41°. Range in Ohio.—Long considered rare in the State. Now found commonly in the lower valley of the Scioto. Rather rare elsewhere. 372 THE AMERICAN BARN OWL. AS late as 1880 only five records of the appearance of this bird within the state were known to Dr. Wheaton, and none had ever been seen in Indiana. Soon after that there was a notable increase in numbers north of the Ohio River. Mr. Charles Dury of Cincinnati discovered a small colony in the town hall at Glendale, Ohio, Oct. 18th, 1883, and concluded they must have nested there the previous season. Some idea of the birds’ usefulness in the community was conveyed by the “pellets,” or little spheres of indigestible matter ejected by the Owls from time -to time. “They cov- ered the floor several inches deep in places. JI examined many of them and found them made up entirely of the hair and bones of the smaller rodents, mostly mice. There must have been the debris of several thou- sand mice and rats.” Captain Ben- dire is certain that the cap- tures of a sin- gle pair of Barn Owls, during the nesting sea- son, exceed those of a dozen cats for the same period. The species has lately been reported from various points all over the state, including sev- eral along the Lake Erie shore; but the only region where it is yet called common is in the lower Scioto Valley. Rev. W. F. Henninger, at Waverly, mounted ten specimens brought in to him at various times from 1898 to 1901. He says the birds are known locally as “White Owls,” and that they frequent the bottom lands adjoining the Scioto River, breeding most com- monly in the large sycamores which line that stream. The Barn Owl, as its name indicates, often passes the day in barns or outbuildings, being drawn thither solely by the abundance of mice which such places afford. It is said to be a very quiet, peaceable bird, offering no violence to the poultry, not even to the pigeons which often share its quar- Taken near Circleville. Photo by Dr. Howard Jones. A NESTING SITE OF THE BARN OWL, THE AMERICAN BARN OWL, aad ters. When disturbed duritig its slumbers it makes a hissing noise, or clicks its mandi- bles in a threatening way. It has besides a “‘peevish scream,’ and some querulous notes hard to characterize further. Its very odd appearance arouses in the average far- mer’s boy who discovers him a curiosity which is too seldom satisfied until the old musket has been discharged and the best mouser in seven counties is reduced to a mere heap of feathers. Of the breeding habits, Captain Charles Bendire says:} “The Barn Owl, strictly speaking, makes no nest. If occupying a natural cavity of a tree the eggs are placed on the rubbish that may have accumulated on the bottom; if in a bank they are laid on the bare ground and among the pellets of fur and small bones ejected by the parents. Frequently quite a lot of such material is found in their burrows, the eggs lying on and among this refuse. Incubation usually commences with the first egg laid, and lasts about three weeks. The eggs are almost in- variably found in different stages of devel- opment, and young may be found in the same nest with fresh eggs. Both sexes as- sist in incubation and the pair may some- times be found sitting side by side, each with a portion of the eggs under them.” Taken near Circleville. Photo by Dr. Howard Jones. A NEARER VIEW. NEST OF BARN OWL IN NATURAL CAVITY OF TREE. 1 “Life Histories of North American Birds,” Vol. I., p. 327. 374 THE AMERICAN LONG-EARED OWL. No. 163. AMERICAN LONG-EARED OWL. A. O. U. No. 366. Asio wilsonianus (Less. ). Description.—Adult: Above finely mottled white and dusky, with appar- ently half-concealed ochraceous on subterminal margins of feathers; the design broadened on wings,—ochraceous, white, and dusky in patches; the wing-quills and tail distinctly barred—dusky with ochraceous basally, dusky with gray ter- minally ; ear-tufts conspicuous, an inch or more in length, black centrally, with white and ochraceous edges; facial disk tawny, gray centrally, and blackish about eyes on inner side, the edges finely mottled black and white; tibiz, tarsi, and feet pale tawny, immaculate; remaining under parts white, ochraceous, and dusky, in bold, free pattern, the upper breast distinctly and heavily streaked, the sides and flanks distinctly barred, the belly exhibiting a combination of the two types; lining of wing pale tawny, unmarked basally, save for a dusky patch on tips of coverts, heavily barred distally; bill and toe-nails blackish. The folded wings exceed the tail, and the bill is nearly concealed by black and white bristles. Length 13.00- 16.00 (330.2-406.4.) ; wing 11.25-12.00 (285.8-304.8) ; tail 5.75-6.25 (146.1-158.8) ; tarsus 1.50-1.80 (38.1-45.7) ; bill from nostril .63 (16.). Recognition Marks.—Little Hawk to Crow size; a strongly marked and un- mistakable species; the “horns” taken-in connection with its size are sufficient to identify it. ; Nest, usually a deserted nest of Crow, Magpie, Heron, etc.; sometimes in rock-rifts or even on the ground. FAggs, 3-6, subspherical, white (or not infre- quently red-spotted with nest-marks). Av. size, 1.60 x 1.29 (40.6 x 32.8). General Range.—Temperate North America, south to the tablelands of Mexico. Breeds throughout its range. Range in Ohio.—Not uncommon in winter, but of somewhat irregular occur- tence. Rare summer resident. AUTHORITIES cannot agree as to the real abundance of this species in various eastern states. Being strictly nocturnal in its habits it is seldom ob- served except in winter, when it is largely deprived of its cover, and when, moreover, its numbers are very materially increased by a northern influx. Un- like the larger Barred and the smaller Owls, the Long-eared Owl does not resort, to any considerable extent, if at all, to hollow trees, but secretes him- self by day in the midst of heavy foliage. His favorite retreats are the willows of swamp thickets, evergreen timber and small upland groves. If one is so fortunate as to surprise one of these Owls during the nesting season, or when the foliage is reasonably dense, he may get a good view of a slim bird standing straight and tense, with glowing yellow eyes and erect ear-tufts, or perhaps with beak defiantly snapping; but in winter when there is nothing to be gained by the bird’s bravery, a hundred yards is a near ap- proach. Since there are no recent accounts of the nesting of the Long-eared Owl THE AMERICAN LONG-EARED OWL. 375 in Ohio, altho they certainly bred here in Audubon’s time, I may perhaps be pardoned for drawing upon my experience in a region where they are now much more plentiful, namely, in Eastern Washington. There nests containing eggs were found indifferently in April, May, or June, altho those found in June probably contained second broods. Deserted nests of the Magpie or Crow were invariably used by the Owls, and then only those to be found at moderate heights in swamp willow thickets. The eggs, from four to six in number, are normally a delicate, clear white, but they soon become nest-stained and are often blood-marked. Both parents are usually at home and actively interested in their nest. One instance will suffice. Having noticed a likely looking Crow’s nest about ten feet high in a willow clump I made toward it. Upon my approach the female slipped noiseslessly from the nest and left me to plan the ascent through an ugly tangle. As I started in I heard the preliminary notes of a caterwauling contest, just as when Thomas remarks, “/e-a-o-o- a-ow,’ and nature catches her breath to hear what Maria will say. I paused and canvassed the morale of my contemplated action; then I hastily reviewed the chances of wild-cats; and then—I reached for my gun. Not until I had actually seen the mother bird emitting one of those gruesome squalls could I be- lieve that the noise came from an Owl. Even after doubt was set at rest the cry seemed not less like the snarl of an angry feline. To add to the terrors of the defensive, the husband and father came up and literally proceeded to spread himself. Wings and tail were spread to the utmost and every feather was rui- fled to its fullest extent,—all in a manner calculated to strike terror to the boldest heart. The bird-man managed to control his nerves long enough to note five eggs resting upon the accumulated refuse of a last year’s Crow’s nest; then hurriedly sought more congenial company. At another time while I was picking my way across a willow-skirted brook in the Yakima country I became aware of, rather than discovered, a wee, shriv- elled, craven, ill-fed Owl, a bird which evidently, at the time, desired noth- ing so ardently as to be able to find a ready-made hole in the atmosphere and to crawl into it. I debated with myself whether it might really be an under- sized Long-eared Owl. There was nothing but the ear-tufts to show for it, for the very face of the bird was pinched and wizened. I gazed until the bird made sure of detection. Presto, change! The India rubber creature resumed her natural appearance and made off with a great clatter, only to fall upon the ground in the well known “last stages.” The interest of the bird-man always lies in the opposite direction from that being pursued by a self-wounded bird. The ow/let sat about ten feet back of me in a clump of willows. Tho only half- grown, its countenance bore an expression of imperturbable gravity. After I _had had my laugh out at his absurd solemnity, I approached the little fellow. Psst! Instantly there were about six of him. Every feather stood on end,— wings extended, eyes blazing, bill snapping. Goodness gracious! Suppose 376 ‘THE SHORT-EARED OWL. he had been about forty times bigger yet! He wore my cap gracefully enough until we got down on the ground where we could hobnob in the open. There he nibbled meditatively at the vizor of his cap-cage, and mumbled incoherent little bad words between his teeth. Anger is always amusing—except perhaps in the case of one’s own irate parents—the younger and more helpless the em- bodiment of it, the more ridiculous it is. The food of the Long-eared Owl is largely mice and other rodents. Altho it does make an occasional levy on the small-bird population, it deserves the strictest protection on account of its overbalancing services. No. 164. SHORT-EARED OWL. A. O. U. No. 367. Asio accipitrinus (Pall.). Description.—Adults: Ear-tufts very short—scarcely noticeable; entire plumage, except facial disk, nearly uniform buff, ochraceous-buff or cream-buff, striped or mottled with dark brown,—heavily above and on breast, the stripes becoming more narrow on belly and disappearing altogether on legs and crissum ; edge of wing white; the wing-quills and tail-feathers broadly barred with brownish dusky ;the facial disk gray centrally, with black around each eye and on the bridge; bill and toe-nails dusky blue; eyes yellow; ear-opening enormous, but fuily con- cealed ; the wings fold just beyond the tail. Immature: Dark brown with ochra- ceous tips above; brownish-black face, and unstriped under parts. Length 14.00- 16.75 (355.6-425.5) ; wing 12.00-13.00 (304.8-330.2) ; tail 5.50-6.25 (139.7-158.8) ; bill (chord of culmen) about 1.00 (25.4); tarsus 1.75 (44.5). Adult female larger than male. The preceding measurements include both sexes. Recognition Marks.—Little Hawk to Crow size; general streaked appear- ance, dark brown on buff; inconspicuous ear-tufts; semi-terrestrial habits. Nest, on the ground or at the end of a short, under-ground tunnel; a few sticks, grass, and feathers mark the spot, or else the bird lays on the bare earth. Eggs, 4-6, sometimes 7, white, subspherical. Av. size, 1.57 x 1.23 (39.9 x 31.2). General Range.—Throughout North America; nearly cosmopolitan. Breeds somewhat irregularly and locally, from about latitude 39° northward. Range in Ohio.—Not common resident, and northern visitor; locally abun- dant in winter. A few have been known to breed. AN equitable distribution of territory has been made between this bird and his kinsman, the Long-eared Owl. The latter has chosen the woods and the thickets for his hunting ground, while the Short-eared Owl roams the meadows and open fens. Moreover, the other bird hunts by night, while this one is abroad regularly and chiefly in the daytime. Let no one suppose that because the bird under consideration has abbreviated ear-tufts, he is THE SHORT-EARED OWL. 377 “short” on hearing. On the contrary, his ear-parts are enormously devel- oped. Part the feathers on the side of the head, bringing the ear-coverts forward, and you will see it, an ear opening some two inches long—as long, in fact, as the skull is high, and proportionately broad. It is more than a coincidence that these marsh-prowlers, the Harrier and the Short-eared Owl, together with the latter’s cousin, A. wilsonianus, should be provided with such a remarkable auditory apparatus. When one considers the circumstances of their life, the reason for this common provision is very plain. In a thicket of reeds, especially if they are dry, one hears a great deal more than he is able to see. Movement through grass or tules without noise is almost an impossibility, even for the tiniest bird or mouse. Hence it becomes important to locate any creature in the tangle by hearing. Surely a Short-eared Owl could hear a bird-tick browsing at a hundred yards. Short-eared Owls are somewhat hawk-like in their appearance, whether moving softly to and fro across the meadows, or watching from a convenient post. They frequently gather in companies, and Mr. I. A. Field of Gran- ville tells me that he has seen as many as fifty in the air at once over the cat- tail swamps of the Licking Reservoir. The species is not uncommon in winter, but its nesting in the state was not positively determined until Dr. Howard E. Jones found it breeding near Circleville. Of this discovery he gives the following account in his “Nests and Eggs of the Birds of Ohio”: “The first nest of the Short-eared Owl that I ever found was on March 23rd, 1878. It was in a piece of marshy land two miles from Circleville. I had just killed a snipe, and was looking for the dead bird when, right at my feet, a Short-eared Owl flew up and soared in the air high above me. Having recovered from my surprise I looked down, and there were four eggs lying in a little depression, where the grass had been eaten away by some cattle that were grazing in the field. A few feet away the ground was some inches lower and very wet. Having done the eggs up in my handkerchief, I remained some minutes to watch the owl, which continued circling around the spot, some hundred feet overhead. Final- ly she alighted in a distant part of the prairie, and I proceeded on my way. Several more Owls were flushed during the next half hour, each of which made long-continued circular flights before alighting. The following day I hunted for Owl-nests over the same ground and found a second one in a burrow, about a foot within the entrance, containing three eggs.” 378 THE BARRED OWL. No. 165. BARRED OWL. A. O. U. No. 368. Syrnium varium (Barton). ; Synonym.—Hoor Owt (sharing the name with Bubo virginianus). Description.—Adult: No ear-tufts; above dark umber-brown, heavily barred with pale tawny or white,—each feather crossed subterminally by a light band, and having one or two more on concealed base; wing-quills and tail-feathers more broadly barred, the white spots on external webs of the former more or less confluent in bars reaching across the wing; below, on the breast, heavily barred with a paler brown and white, the latter predominating ; the belly and sides whitish or fulvous, not barred, but sharply and sparingly streaked with brown; facial disk gray, with indistinct, dusky, concentric circles about each eye, the eyes bordered by black on the inner margin; a dark brown area on the forehead; bill yellow; iris yellow or brown. Immature: Like adult, but barred instead of streaked on the belly; bars on upper parts broader, and appearing more white-spotted. Length 18.50-24.00 (469.9-609.6) ; wing 13.00-14.00 (330.2-355.6); tail 9.00 (228.6) ; tarsus about 2.50 (63.5) ; bill 1.40 (35.6). Recognition Marks.—Crow to Brant size; general barred appearance; the absence of “horns” will immediately distinguish it from the Horned Owl, with which it is comparable in size. Nest, a deserted Hawk’s or Crow’s nest, or in a hollow tree. Eggs, 2-4, white, subspherical. Av. size, 1.96 x 1.66 (49.8 x 42.2). General Range.—Eastern United States west to Minnesota, Nebraska, Kan- sas, and Texas, north to Nova Scotia and Quebec. Breeds throughout its range. Range in Ohio.—Common resident; the most universally distributed Owl except Megascops asio. AFTER the Screech Owl this large round-headed bird is the commonest of the Owl kind in the state. Altho necessarily somewhat reduced in num- bers with the decline in timber area, the species is well distributed ; and almost any considerable stretch of woods, or a deep rocky ravine, will boast a pair of “Hoot Owls.” The birds hunt mainly by night, but often avail themselves of cloudy days, and do not appear so nearly dazed as some in broad daylight. It is not unusual for the early bird-man to see the Owl coming in from the meadows just before sunrise, and making rapidly for the woods with that smoothly alternating flap and sail, which is characteristic of the bird. The nightly predatory expeditions are directed mainly against moles, gophers, and rabbits; but many insects are added on the one hand and birds not a few on the other. The proportion of poultry or game birds eaten is very small, and never equal in value to the vermin riddance accomplished ; but this is matter of opportunity rather than conscience with the Owl. In a series of ninety-five stomachs examined by Dr. C. Hart Merriam, only three contained poultry but twelve others contained birds, among which were found two Screech Owls, and one Saw-whet Owl. THE GREAT GRAY OWL. 7 7 379 Concerning the notes of this Owl much has been written. It is credited with a varied assortment of hoots, besides much demoniacal laughter, and cccasional blood-curdling screeches. In comparing former accounts, and those written in comparatively unsettled sections of the country, with the bird’s present habits and its known abundance, I am strongly inclined to the opinion that the birds have undergone recently an important change in this respect ; that in fact, because of the increasing danger attendant upon the pro- cess, they have largely left off hooting and screeching. Negative evidence in this matter must be attentively considered, and such I believe we possess. The ordinary challenge notes, delivered in a deep bass voice, consist of the theme, z/o-cwsoo, variously modified. JV’ ho-whoo, who-whoo-who, is a com- mon form and one which may readily be imitated by blowing into the hands held conch-shaped. Barred Owls mate in February and nest either during the last week of that month or early in March. Usually some hollow tree in the depths of the wood is utilized, but not infrequently, deserted nests of Hawks and Crows are pressed into service. In either case no additional lining is supplied. Occa- sionally the birds build a nest, and a site in some dense thicket of saplings or evergreens is then chosen. A nest placed thirty feet high in one of a cluster of hemlocks, on the side of the Chance Creek gorge, in Lorain County, we had every reason to suppose was built by the owner. The female attends chiefly to the duties of incubation, while soon after the young are able to leave the nest the male takes himself off to some hollow tree, there to gloom in sullen solitude for another year. No. 166. GREAT GRAY OWL. A. O. U. No. 370. Scotiaptex nebulosa (Foster). Description.—du/t: No ear-tufts; general plumage mottled, dusky, gray- ish brown, and dull whitish, darker above, lighter below, where the dusky markings are indistinctly longitudinal on breast and belly, and transverse on flanks, the whitish impure and with a fulvous element on the margin of the facial disk, hind neck, wings, tail, etc.; wing-quills and tail indistinctly barred; facial disk about six inches across, dusky gray, with numerous dusky lines imperfectly concentric about each eye; the edge of the disk dark brown and fulvous, and with more white below ; the eyes bordered by black on the inner margin; iris yellow; bill pale yel- low ; feet and toes heavily feathered. Length 25.00-30.00 (635.-762.) ; wing 16.00- 18.00 (406.4-457.2) ; tail I11.00-12.50 (279.4-317.5); bill with cere I.40 (35.6). 380 THE SAW-WHET OWL. Recognition Marks.—Size largest,—Brant size; gray face; absence of ear- tufts will immediately distinguish it from the great Horned Owl. Nesting.—Does not breed in Ohio. Nest, of sticks and moss, lined sparingly with down, placed high in trees, usually coniferous. Eggs, 2-4, white. Av. size, 2.16 X 1.71 (54.9 X 43.4). General Range.—Arctic America, straggling southward in winter to southern New England, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Illinois, Idaho, and northern Mon- tana. Range in Ohio.—Very rare; two or three records believed to be authentic, but no specimens. ONE, autumn day some thirty years ago Charles Dury, of Cincinnati, was out quail-hunting with some farmers’ boys in Clark County, near South Charleston. While in pursuit of a scattered covey in a dense thicket, he came suddenly upon a monster Owl, the like of which he had never seen alive. A quick shot fired full in the bird’s face, blinded it, but did not inflict a mortal wound. Spreading its ample wings it fluttered away, regardless of a second shot fired after it, the gun being only a light muzzle-loader charged with fine shot. Realizing that he had lost a prize, the young collector scoured the neighboring woods in search of it, but without avail. ; This very rare northern visitor has not since been seen within the state, and it will hardly pass again the broadening belt of civilization which sepa- rates us from the Laurentian wilds, in which it makes its home. The bird is not really so large as it appears, but has long fluffy feathers within which the “meat” bird is almost lost. Its eggs are not larger than some laid by the Barred Owl. No. 167. SAW-WHET OWL. A. O. U. No. 372. Nyctala acadica (Gmel.). Description.—Adult: Without ear-tufts; upper parts dull reddish brown, the crown and lateral edges of disk narrowly streaked, and the remaining upper parts more or less broadly but sparingly spotted with white; below white, broadly and heavily streaked with cinnamon-rufous; legs, feet, and crissum tawny white or ochraceous, unmarked ; facial disk white above, fulvous and brown below, the eyes black-margined, and the disk brown-edged below, contrasting with narrow pectoral white; iris yellow; bill black. Immature: Like adult, but without white spotting above; breast, like back and belly, ochraceous. Length 7.25-8.50 (184.2-215.9) ; wing ea (127.-149.9); tail 2.80-3.25 (71.1-82.6); bill including cere 66 (16.8). zi wh COPYRIGHT 1800, BY A, W. MUMFORD, CHICAGO. 43 SAW WHET °) RIGHTS AESERVED IN OHIO BY THE WHEATON PUBLISHING CO. Nyctala acadion 57 Life-size THE SAW-WHET OWL. 381 Recognition Marks.—Smallest of Eastern Owls,—Chewink size, but appear- ing larger; no ear-tufts; pattern of coloring much more simple than in Megascops asio. Lighter in color than N. ¢. richardsoni (which may possibly occur in Ohio), streaked instead of spotted on crown, and with unbarred feet and legs. Nest, in hollow trees, deserted Woodpecker holes, etc, Eggs, 4-7, white, subspherical. Av. size, 1.20 x 1.00 (30.5 x 25.4). General Range.—North America at large, breeding from the Middle States northward, and in mountainous regions of the West southward into Mexico. Range in Ohio.—Resident. Probably not uncommon, but little observed. BECAUSE, of its very retiring and strictly nocturnal habits, this little Owl has long been considered rare, and the sets of eggs taken within the United States would probably number not above a score. Carroll County, Indiana, is given by Bendire as the southernmost limit of its breeding, but Davie records the taking of a brood of young birds at Worthington, by Mr. J. E. Gould, May 28, 1889. This past season the writer encountered two family groups, one of four birds, June 19th, on the banks of the Licking Reservoir, and the other of six, July 7-11th, in the hollow near the Siebert Spring, on the State University grounds. The note heard in both cases bore only the most distant possible resem- blance to the “filing of a cross-cut saw,” which is the classical comparison. It was rather a rasping, querulous sa-a-a-a-ay, repeated by old and young with precisely the same accent, and inaudible at any distance above a hundred feet. Uncertain in the first instance, since the hour was late dusk, whether the dark silhouettes before me had horns or not, I tried the Screech Owl cry and was greeted with a perfect chorus of says from the youngsters, while the parents whined in a mystified way and flew back and forth near my head snapping their mandibles together fiercely. In the second instance, in the large willows and poplars near the University spring, I succeeded in rousing one old bird and five owlets at an unusually early hour, viz., about twenty minutes after sunset. ‘The smaller song birds were still astir and scolded vigorously at the appearance of these grim night watchmen, but the Owls gave no heed to their clamor, and were only intent upon discovering the where- abouts of their cousin Screech Owl, who had summoned them. The parent bird was the first to discover the deception and she bent forward peering earnestly at me, and uttered a low mellow cook of comprehension, twice, after which the party withdrew. There could be little doubt that the young had been raised in one of the hollow trees in the immediate neighborhood. Nesting and roosting are preferably in deserted Woodpecker holes, but in default of these dense foliage is said to furnish cover for the birds during the day. Dr. William L. Ralph of Utica, N. Y., finds that under such cir- cumstances they are not at all suspicious, and has even stroked them with his hand as they were roosting sleepily in bush or tree. 382 THE SCREECH OWL. No. 168. SCREECH OWL. A. O. U. No. 373. Megascops asio (Linn.). Description Adult: With conspicuous ear-tufts; dichromatic. Rufous phase.—Above cinnamon-rufous, substantially uniform, or with black central stripes on the feathers, the latter always(?) present on forehead; considerable white on scapulars, wing-coverts, and margins of primaries; wing-quills and tail finely and rather indistinctly dusky-barred; below white, heavily blotched with rufous, and black-streaked on breast and sides, fading posteriorly; middle line of belly usually immaculate; feet and legs completely feathered, more or less rufous spotted; facial disk grayish and rufous, not highly differentiated from surrounding parts; iris yellow; bill yellow or dull gray, light tipped. Gray phase.—Similar to preceding, but gray or pinkish gray instead of rufous; pattern much more com- plex; each feather with dusky or rich brown central stripe, and cross-barred with the same color in fine wavy lines; this pattern beautifully carried out on the breast and sides of the belly; the ground color of the upper parts ochraceous-buff, and of under parts white. Between these two phases there exists every gradation. They occur quite independently of age, sex, or season, both phases being sometimes rep- resented in the same brood. Young: Heavily barred with dusky gray or rufous and dull whitish; no longitudinal markings. Length 8.00-10.00 (203.2-254.) ; wing 6.39 (162.3); tail 3.44 (87.4); bill .81 (20.6). Recognition Marks.—Smaller,—‘‘Robin size,” horns, with diminutive size, distinctive. Nest, in hollow trees, Woodpecker holes, etc. Eggs, 4-6, or even 8 and 9, white, subspherical. Av. size, 1.40 x 1.20 (35.6 x 30.5). General Range.—Temperate eastern North America, south to Georgia and west to the plains. Accidental ir England. Range in Ohio.—Abundant resident. PROBABLY nine persons out of every ten shudder when they hear the weird and tremulous notes of the Screech Owl; but to the tenth man they come like a welcome draught into which has been instilled the essence of all wild things, a flavor of mystery and dark deeds, and the authentic tang of sorrow which still is joy. It is easier for most people to imagine a use for these strange notes similar to that of the catamount’s serenade, viz., to terrify intended victims; but only the elect,—lady owls and some others—see in them the true likeness of a love song. It is comparatively easy to reproduce this quavering song, especially if one cultivates a palatal trill, and it will be found an exceedingly useful assembly-call in the woods. The truth of the matter is that every bird’s bill is against this bird, and there are none so poor to do him reverence—by daylight. This is not alone because he appears stupid and sleepy, or because he regards his tormentors with the fixed gravity of a round-eyed gaze, varied only by “that forlorn, THE SCREECH OWL. 383 almost despairing wink” peculiar to it, but because they have an ancient and well-grounded grudge against this bird of silent wing and cruel claw. All but the Blue Jay—he is a villain himself, and he leads the persecution of owls from sheer love of mischief. Whenever a Blue Jay’s voice is lifted high and there is an under-chorus of bird babble beneath it, it is time for the bird-man to slip rapidly forward from tree to tree and investigate. One such din I heard on a winter’s day, in a little wood north of town. The center of attraction proved to be a certain hole or crevice about twenty- five feet high in an ash tree. The Blue Jays retreated as I advanced to the shelter of a commanding tree-bole; but the rest of the birds held their ground. I watched while Red-headed Woodpeckers took turns peeping into the hole and shuddering. Once a Red-head yelled, “Ouch!” and jumped a yard or more. Chickadees clamored, “Let me see! Let me see!’ while Titmice and Cardinals sputtered their indignation. A pair of White-breasted Nuthatches inspected the locality minutely. One murmured, “Horrible! The hypocrit- ical old cut-throat!’ and the woods quanked and shivered assent. Of course I knew what was up and I came forward to take a hand in-the game. A couple of smart raps from a stick brought a weary and somnolent Screech Owl to the mouth of the hole. He blinked aimlessly about for a moment and then sank back. ‘Well,’ thought I, “he’s slow, I'll go up and interview him.’’ The tree was of considerable girth and almost bare of limbs. I tried to keep an eye on the hole, but somehow, when I got there, panting fiercely, the hole contained “nothing but leaves.” Sir Owl had flitted, chuck- ling noiselessly in his silken sleeve.t Screech Owls are not really more numerous in winter, as has been some- times supposed, but are only more in evidence at that season, because of the comparative scarcity of the staple food, mice and insects. Then they are driven also to seek shelter in barns and outbuildings, and not infrequently fly in at open windows. Small birds are captured to much greater extent then than during the warmer seasons, and the bird is evidently cultivating a weak- ness for English Sparrows; for which he deserves a vote of thanks. Eggs of this species are to be found the last week in March or the first in April, in deserted Woodpeckers’ nests. natural cavities in trees, or holes and crannies about buildings. Of the incubation, Professor Lynds Jones says” “Both parents are generally found near the nest, and not infrequently sitting on the eggs at the same time. In a number of instances I have taken the two from well incubated eggs, but have never flushed both from a fresh set. Between the interval when the first egg is laid and the set is completed, the male may be found in a hollow tree near by and cannot be flushed, while the female watches the nest and flushes easily. When incubation begins the male will flush readily for a time, the female, however, remaining. Later, both birds must be dislodged by force. If the cavity is large enough : 1 Reproduced here by courtesy of “The Wilson Bulletin.” 2 Communicated to Capt. Bendire. See ‘Life Histories of N. A. Birds,’ Vol. I., p. 357. 384 THE GREAT HORNED OWL. to admit of it, both birds will lie over the eggs; if, however, it be small, the female covers the eggs and the male either wedges himself down by her side or lies on top of her, and sometimes finds a lodgment higher up in the hole, which, however, is rarely the case.” i Incubation is completed in about three weeks, and the young when hatched require an enormous amount of food. This is collected by night and a surplusage stored for consumption during the day. The birds remain ina family group for some weeks after leaving the nest, and it is not an unusual thing to come across them standing as motionless as statues on some hori- zontal limb at a low level in the woods. In one such group seen during the season of 1903, both parents were of the red phase and the four owlets gray. No. 169. GREAT HORNED OWL. A. O. U. No. 375. Bubo virginianus (Gmel.). Synonyms.—Hoort Owl (par excellence) ; Cat OwL; VircINIA OWL. Description.—Adulit: Ear-tufts conspicuous, two inches or more in length, black, bordered with ochraceous; entire upper parts dusky or blackish, finely mot- tled with whitish and ochraceous, the latter color predominant on each feather basally; wing-quills and tail faintly broad-barred; facial disk ochraceous, sharply bordered by blackish laterally; feathers whitish with black tips centrally; a broad white space on chest; feathers of remaining under parts tawny at base, changing to white on terminal portions, finely and heavily barred with dusky-brown; the sides of the breast heavily spotted with the same color; iris bright yellow; bill and toe-nails bluish black. Young: Above and below ochraceous barred with dusky. Length 18.00-25.00 (457.2-635.) ; av. of eight Columbus specimens: wing 15.06 (382.5); tail 9.60 ( (243.8); bill including cere 1.66 (42.2). Female averages two or three inches longer than males. Recognition Marks.—Largest, except for the two very rare species. “Horns” and size distinctive. Nest, in a hollow tree, or in a deserted Hawk’s or Crow’s nest. Eggs, 2-3, rarely 4, white, subspherical. Av. size, 2.20 x 1.82 (55.9 x 46.2). General Range.—E astern North America west to the Mississippi Valley, and from Labrador south to Costa Rica. Range in Ohio.—Resident; no longer common. Occasional winter visitor. BUBO horribilis should have been the name of this feathered demon of the woods, this grizzly of the midnight air. He loves the darkness because his deeds are evil, and after the protecting sun has set, woe betide the mole GREAT HORNED OWL Bubo virginianus 84 Life-size COPRIGHT 1900, BY A. W. MUMFORD, CHICAGO. RIGHTS RESEAVEO IN OHIO BY THE WHEATON PUBLISKING CO, f t j oleate : rin) | THE GREAT HORNED OWL. 385 or rabbit, Bobwhite, Jay or Chanticleer, who dares to stir where this monster is a-wing. When captured in a trap, as he often is by aggrieved poultry fanciers, the ruffling of the feathers, the alternate hissing and fierce snapping of the mandibles, and the greenish yellow light which comes flashing from the great saucer eyes, all give fair warning of what one may expect from the free foot once it gets a chance to close upon a victim. Wheaton wrote “common resident,’’ but in most parts of the state this unwelcome bird neighbor is greatly reduced in numbers, and in some altogether wanting, except it be casually in winter. The only one seen recently in Lorain County was found March gth, 1899. In the heart of a deep wood a mob of twenty Crows bayed the quarry like a pack of hounds, while two Red-shouldered Hawks, diving and screaming overhead, gave character to the shifting assemblage. The Owl was visibly annoyed by these attentions, but was holding his own until the humans appeared, when he fled incontinently at a hundred yards. It re- quired a chase of two miles, during which only the Hawks. accompanied us, to overhaul and turn the grim death’s-head so as to get a square sight of him. The notes of the Horned Owl are much less frequently heard than for- merly, and this is not only because of greater scarcity, but because the birds have learned caution. They are known to nest in places where a single full-voiced Taken in Colorado. Photo by E. R. Warren. hoot would draw the fire of YOUNG HORNED OWL.: the country-side The mat- The form is Bubo virginianus subarcticus. ing song (save the mark!) is a succession of resonant bellowings in a single key,—Whoo, whoo, hoo-hoo, who—quite variable as to length and form. Besides this the bird occasionally indulges in a sepulchral laughter, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, which arouses anything but mirthful . feelings in the listener. Nothing short of awful is the nocturnal serenade to which these big owls sometimes treat the camper-out. ‘Cat-call” is a faint word to express this midnight terror—‘“panther screech” were fitter. Once in the city of Tacoma the writer was aroused from a sound slumber by a great commotion upon an adjoining roof, which the chamber overlooked. After the first shock of somnolent fright was over, it seemed as if a dozen 1 Courtesy of the Wilson Bulletin. 386 THE SNOWY OWL. Shanghai roosters and a cage of parrots were closing in for a life and death struggle, but the music suddenly ceased before the bird-man could command his gun—and his nerves. Some nights later the shivaree was repeated, from the chimney of a neighboring church; and there I saw the Owl, clearly outlined against the moonlit sky. The tension of mystery was relieved but the concrete awfulness of that first occasion haunts me yet like a voice from the Inferno. The Great Horned Owl is the earliest nester in the state. Fresh eggs are usual the last week in February, and January records are not unknown. Eggs are deposited in old Crows’ or Hawks’ nests, or, less commonly, in hollow trees. They are laid at intervals of two or three days, and incuba- tion, beginning with the first egg, is kept up about four weeks. The owlets are thrifty young knaves, and their maintenance costs many a hecatomb of rats and rabbits, with now and then a juicy quail. No. 170. SNOWY OWL. A. O. U. No. 376. Nyctea nyctea (Linn.). Description.—Adult male: Without plumicorns; entire plumage pure white, sometimes almost unmarked, but usually more or less spotted or indistinctly barred above with pale brownish or fuscous,—perhaps heaviest on middle of back and wing-coverts ; wing-quills and tail-feathers irregularly and sparingly spotted with dusky ; below still fainter indications of dusky barring; legs and feet immaculate, heavily feathered; bill and claws black; iris yellow. Adult female: Similar to male, but much more heavily barred with brownish black,—only face, fore breast and feet unmarked; top of head and hind neck spotted with dusky. Length 20.00-27.00 (508.-685.8) ; wing 15.50-18.75 (393.7-476.3) ; tail 9.00-10.50 (228.6- 266.7) ; bill 1.10-1.40 (27.9-35.6). Recognition Marks.—Large size (Brant size); snowy white with dusky bars; no ear-tufts. Nesting.—Does not breed in Ohio. Nest, on the ground. Eggs, 3-10, white. Av. size, 2.24 x 1.77 (56.9 x 45.). General Range.—Northern portions of the Northern Hemisphere. In North America breeding wholly north of the United States; in winter migrating south to the Middle States, straggling to South Carolina, Texas, California, and Bermuda. Range in Ohio.—Formerly common; now rare winter visitor in northern Ohio. Casual elsewhere. DURING January and February of 1902 there occurred a remarkable invasion by Snowy Owls, which was reported from localities as diverse as THE AMERICAN HAWK OWL. 387 Southern Michigan and Long Island. They were especially abundant in Ontario, and were much sought after for their plumage.’ According to Mr. Ruthven Deane, “a Mr. Owens, taxidermist, living near Mooresville, Mid- dlesex County, received and mounted twenty-two specimens during the winter, and commented on the fact that thirteen years ago he prepared exactly the same number, not having handled a single specimen in the interim.” Mr. Deane collected information of more than 430 of these Owls that were killed during this one flight? No specimens were reported for Ohio, but it is altogether probable that the birds might have been found along the Lake Erie shore at that time. “The home of the Snowy Owl is on the immense moss and lichen cov- ered tundras of the boreal regions, where it leads an easy existence and finds an abundant supply of food during the short Arctic summers. It hunts its prey at all hours and subsists principally upon the lemming, and it is said to be always abundant wherever these mammals are found in any numbers. Small rodents are also caught, as well as Ptarmigan, Ducks, and other water fowl, and even the Arctic hare, an animal fully as heavy again as these Owls, is said to be successfully attacked and killed by them” (Bendire). No. 171. AMERICAN HAWK OWL. A. O. U. No. 377a. Surnia ulula caparoch (Mill.). Synonym.—Day Ow. ; Description.—Adult: Without ear-tufts; above dark grayish brown or fus- cous, finely and heavily spotted with white on head and upper back; with larger quadrate spots or bars of the same on middle back and wings; upper tail-coverts distinctly, and tail indistinctly or brokenly, barred with white; tail rounded, the outer pair of feathers about an inch shorter than the central pair; a crescentic patch behind the ear-coverts, another on the side of the neck behind, and one on the upper throat, pure dark brown; facial disk—so far as indicated—and chest, white ; breast irregularly barred or streaked with fuscous on white ground, sometimes almost solid fuscous ; remaining under parts closely and evenly barred with reddish brown and white in about equal proportions ;legs, fully feathered to the claws,tawny, spotted, or lightly barred with light reddish brown; bill yellow. Length 14.50- 17.50 (368.3-444.5) ; wing 9.00 (228.6) ; tail 7.00 (177.8) ; bill .85 (21.6). Recognition Marks.—Crow size; small head, slender build; strictly diurnal habits; general hawk-like appearance. Nesting.—Does not breed in Ohio. Nest, of sticks, mosses, and feathers, in coniferous trees, or in holes of decayed trees, or even on a rock or stump. Eggs, 3-7, white. Av. size, 1.53 x 1.24 (38.9 x 31.5). 1 The Auk, Vol. XIX., pp. 271-283. 388 THE PEREGRINE FALCON. General Range.—Arctic America, breeding from Newfoundland northward, and migrating in winter to the northern borders of the United States. Occasional in England. Range in Ohio.—Very rare, or casual in winter. THIS rare winter visitor looks and acts like a Hawk, and is strictly diurnal in its habits, but it has the soft noiseless plumage which marks the Owls. When seen southerly it is most frequently at look-out upon the top of a stub. If frightened, it dives down almost to the ground before taking rapid flight. Its food consists chiefly of insects and rodents, but it is a spirited bird and quite equal to despatching game of good size. The nest is said to be frequently made upon the top of broken stubs. Others are in natural cavities in trees, and others still are placed in the thick foliage of pine trees, well up. ‘The note is a shrill cry which is uttered generally while the bird is on the wing” (Fisher). No. 172. PEREGRINE FALCON. A. O. U. No. 356. Falco peregrinus anatum (Bonap.). Synonym.—Duck Hawk. Description.—Adult: Above dark bluish ash, or slaty black with a glaucous “bloom,” the feathers lighter edged, and the larger ones obscurely barred; top of head appreciably darker,—almost black; wings long, and pointed by the second quill, the first notched about two inches from the end; primaries distinctly barred on the inner webs with ochraceous; tail and upper tail-coverts narrowiy barred with ashy-gray and blackish, whitish-tipped; area below eye, produced downward as broad “moustache,” sooty black; throat and chest white or buffy, immacu- late or nearly so; remaining under parts white or buffy heavily spotted on breast with blackish crescentic marks, lengthening into braces and bars below; tarsus feathered two-fifths of the way down; toes and claws lengthened ; bill blue- black, but with cere and much of base yellow; feet yellow; claws black. = lmuna- ture: Above sooty brown, plain or with some glaucous bloom with advancing age; feathers not barred, but more broadly and distinctly edged with ochraceous buff ; top of head lighter than back by reason of ochraceous and whitish admixture; bars of tail obsolete on central feathers; below heavily striped with sooty brown, or if barred, only on flanks ; chest never immaculate——narrowly streaked with sooty brown; prevailing color of under parts deeper buffy or ochraceous than in adults. Adult male length 15.50-18.00 (393.7-457.2) ; wing 11.50-13.00 (292.1-330.2) ; tail 6.00-7.75 (152.4-196.9) ; culmen .77 (19.6). Adult female length 18.00-20.00 on ; wing 13.50-14.75 (342.9-374.7) ; tail 7.00-9.25 (177.8-235.) ; culmen .O5 (24.1). THE PEREGRINE FALCON. 389 Recognition Marks.—Crow size; dark coloration; black “moustache”; long pointed wings; swift, easy flight. Nest, on cliffs or in hollow limbs of the tallest trees. Eggs, 3 or 4, creamy- white, buffy, light hazel, or rich cinnamon-brown, in the latter cases sometimes plain, otherwise spotted and blotched with reddish brown or chocolate. Av. size, 2.05 X 1.65 (52.1 X 41.9). General Range.—North America at large and south to Chili. Breeds locally throughout most of its United States range. Range in Ohio.—Not common visitor. Probably less common than for- merly. May have bred in the State. THE name Duck Hawk is really a tribute to the skill and prowess of this highly endowed bird, but it is belittling, nevertheless, to institute a com- parison, however remote, between the noble Peregrine and the multitudinous “Hen Hawk” of the vulgar conception. This is the Peregrine Falcon, the American bird being not different save for a somewhat whiter breast (which only enhances its beauty) from the falcon gentil of song and story, the most courageous, the most spirited of all birds of prey. It secures an intended victim either by striking it from above and bearing it down to earth by its acquired momentum, or else by snatching it from the ground with incredible swiftness. Many stories are told of its seizing and making off with wounded game from under the very nose of the hunter, and it is especially fearless in its pursuit of wild ducks, which it is said to follow systematically for days at a time during the migrations. The Peregrine Falcon is only occasionally noted within the limits of this state. In the fall of 1901 a specimen was taken alive in a room of one of the State University buildings, which it had evidently entered in pursuit of game, and it was kept for a while in a cage before being mummified in the interests of science. Early the following spring, March 6th it was, another bird was seen, hunting low over the north end of Columbus. The dark plumage and long pointed wings, with the easy, graceful, or dashing flight, furnish good recog- nition marks in the field. On a windy day the bird rises against the wind, kite fashion, to immense heights, where it careers about or plunges madly down and up again, apparently for sheer love of sport. While it has not been found nesting in the state, it may do so, since Mr. Robert Ridgway, in the spring of 1878, found nests in the Wabash Valley, as far south as Mount Carmel, Illinois. ‘Three nests were found in the imme- diate vicinity of the town. All were placed in cavities in the top of very large sycamore trees, and were inaccessible. One of these trees was felled, however, and measurements with a tape line showed the nest to have been eighty-nine feet from the ground, its location being a shallow cavity, caused by the breaking off of the main limb, the upper part of which projected over sufficiently to form a protection from the sun and the rain.” 3000 THE PIGEON HAWK. No. 173. PIGEON HAWK. A. O. U. No. 357. Falco columbarius Linn. Description—Old male: Above bluish gray or dark slaty blue; feathers with black shafts and pale or rusty edges; general color usually interrupted by outcropping white or buffy on nape; tip of wing formed by second primary; first shorter than third; first and second sharply notched on the inner web; the second and third slightly emarginate on the outer web; inner webs of all quills barred or spotted with whitish; outer webs with traces of ashy markings; tail darkening posteriorly, white-tipped, and crossed by four narrow, whitish bars, the anterior one concealed; below white or whitish, nearly immaculate on throat, darkening post- eriorly to tawny or ochraceous, heavily streaked with dark umber, sometimes changing to bars on the flanks; sides of throat and cheeks finely penciled with umber; iris brown; bill and claws blue-black; feet yellow; cere and base of bill greenish yellow. This high plumage is quite rare. Adult female and male im usual dress: Above dark umber-brown, glaucous or not, the head varied by much buffy or rusty edging, with blackish central streaks; wing-spots ochraceous-buff ; tail with pattern as before, but blackening toward tip, and with ochraceous-buff cross-bars; below darker buffy all over, or tawny medially as well as posteriorly ; streaking of variable intensity. Immature: Perhaps lighter above, and with more ochraceous-buffy edging; otherwise not appreciably, or at least constantly, different from adult. Adult male length 10.00-11.50 (254.-292.1); wing 7.00 (177.8); tail 4.90 (124.5); bill .48 (12.2). Adult female length 12.00-13.00 (304.8-330.2) ; wing 8.50 (215.9) ; tail 5.40 (137.2) ; bill .57 (14.5). Recognition Marks.—‘Little Hawk” size; swift flight; sharp wings; stout proportions otherwise; heavily umber-streaked lower parts. Nest, in hollow limbs of trees or in crannies about cliffs. Eggs, 4 or 5, creamy- white, spotted and blotched with reddish brown or chocolate, or else cinnamon- brown sprinkled and dotted with heavier shades of the same color. Av. size, 1.62 x 1.22 (41.2 X 30.9). General Range—North America at large, south to the West Indies and northern South America. Breeds chiefly north of the United States. Range in Ohio.—Not common winter visitor, or spring and fall migrant throughout the state. Formerly bred in northern part of the state but no recent records. IF a careful scrutiny of all little hawks is maintained throughout the winter and early spring, the search will be rewarded now and then by the sight of a bird whose movement is a little more rapid and dashing than that of the ubiquitous Sparrow Hawk. ‘The wings seem to reach forward with a stroke like that of a strong swimmer, and altogether there is an indefinable air of quality and power about-the diminutive Pigeon Hawk, which does not pertain to his less spirited cousin. Not content with the humble quarry which COPYRIGHT 1900, BY A. W. MUMFORD, CHICAGO. AMERICAN SPARROW HAWK RIGHTS RESERVED IN OHIO BY THE WHEATON PUBLISHING CO. - falco sparverins ye 5 Life-size $ THE AMERICAN SPARROW HAWK. 391 usually satisfies the resident Falcon, the little winged terror makes havoc among the Blackbirds and smaller songsters. Himself not larger that a full- sized Pigeon, the Hawk sometimes pursues a Mourning Dove with relentless fury, and easily overtakes this fleet bird, unless it seeks cover or the protection of man. Now and then also one finds the Pigeon Hawk seated, for it is less suspicious than most, and it hails from northern wilds which do not know the fear of man. At such times one is struck by the quaint, almost unique appearance of the tawny breast with its heavy umber streaks; and the glaucous bloom of the upper parts might have come from my lady’s cheek, when she went hawking centuries ago. In the hand the round white spots which sprinkle the tawny feathers lining the wings make them seem still more like objects of curious medizeval art. No. 174. AMERICAN SPARROW HAWK. A. O. U. No. 360. Falco sparverius Linn. Synonym.—Rusty-cRowNED FALcon. Description.—Adult male: ‘Top of head slaty blue, with a rufous crown- patch; sides of head and throat white, a black stripe from the lower eye-lid an- teriorly, proceeding obliquely downward; a similar transverse bar on the side of the neck, and a dab on either side and sometimes in the middle of the cervix; back, scapulars, and tail rich rusty red; strong black bars in variable quantity across the middle of the back and lower scapulars, or rarely reaching cervix; a heavy subterminal black band on tail, the central feathers tipped with rufous and the others with white; the wing-coverts and inner quills (including second- aries) slaty blue, the former black-spotted and the latter crossed by a heavy black bar; primaries blackish, the point of wing formed by the second; the first sharply emarginate on the inner web, the second slightly so; all the wing-quills heavily spotted with white on the inner webs, these spots confluent in bars on the under surface; below whitish or slightly tinged, immaculate on lower belly, flanks, and crissum; elsewhere (save on throat, as noted above) lightly tinged or heavily shaded with rufous,—the fore breast usually but not always unmarked, the sides and middle belly very lightly or quite heavily spotted with black. Bill bluish black; cere and feet yellow. Young male: Similar to adult, but lower scapulars and wing-quills lightly tipped with white; not so heavily shaded with rufous below. Adult femate: Subsimilar, but wings like the back; the black barring regular and continuous over entire back, wings (except quills), and tail—the tail having ten to twelve bars, but the subterminal bar often larger; barring indicated narrowly across upper tail-coverts ; below not tinged with rufous, but streaked instead with rusty brown; the sides sometimes barred with blackish. Young female: “Similar to adult, but colors softer, deeper, and more blended” (Ridgway). Adult male 392 THE AMERICAN SPARROW HAWK. length 8.75-10.50 (222.3-266.7); av. of nine Columbus specimens: wing 7.24 (183.9); tail 4.63 (117.6); bill .50 (12.7). Adult female length 9.00-12.00 (228.6-304.8) ; av. of eight Columbus specimens: wing 7.50 (190.5); tail 5.06 (128.5) ; bill .52 (13.2). Recognition Marks.—Robin size, but appearing larger. The black markings about head, and rufous of upper parts distinctive. Nest, in hollow trees, often in deserted Woodpecker holes. Eggs, 4-6, some- times 7, creamy, buffy, or vinaceous, sprinkled and spotted with deeper shades of the ground color, or darker reddish browns. Av. size, 1.38 x 1.14 (35.1 X 29.). Range in Ohio.—North America east to the Rocky Mountains, and from Great Slave Lake south to northern South America. Range in Ohio.—Quite common resident. Less frequent in winter, especially in the northern counties.. THE, handsome appearance of this little Falcon, together with its com- parative fearlessness and gratifying abundance, make it rather the best-known bird of prey throughout the state. It is to be found almost anywhere, and pays us frequent visits in town, but its favorite perch is a dead tree-top or stub at the edge of the woods, or a telegraph pole commanding an unob- structed view. From these points of vantage the birds attentively watch the happenings on the ground and dive down whenever they think their presence is needed” by mouse or grasshopper. Much time is spent also on the wing, passing rapidly from wood to field, or fly- ing slowly across a promising meadow, and pausing fre- quently at a good height to study a sus- picious movement in Taken near Oberlin.