. The American natural history : a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America . Natural history. OEDEES OF BIRDS—BIRDS OF PREY. Zoological fark. BARN-OWL. THE HORNED-OWL FAMILY. Bubonidae. The Long-Eared Owl1 looks like a small and imperfect imitation of the great horned owl. It can always be distinguished by its small size, and the fact that its horns appear to have been set too close together on the top of its head, and do not fit very well. Its total length is about 15 inches, and its general color is a fine mottling of gray, tawny and black, which produces a brow
. The American natural history : a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America . Natural history. OEDEES OF BIRDS—BIRDS OF PREY. Zoological fark. BARN-OWL. THE HORNED-OWL FAMILY. Bubonidae. The Long-Eared Owl1 looks like a small and imperfect imitation of the great horned owl. It can always be distinguished by its small size, and the fact that its horns appear to have been set too close together on the top of its head, and do not fit very well. Its total length is about 15 inches, and its general color is a fine mottling of gray, tawny and black, which produces a brownish-gray bird. It is found all over the United States. The food of this very useful bird consists mainly of mice. In April, 188S, at Munson Hill, Virginia, Dr. Fisher collected about 50 pellets from under a tree in which a Long-Eared Owl had roosted, and found that they contained the following remains: 95 meadow-mice, 19 pine-mice, 15 house-mice, 5 white-footed mice, 3 Cooper's mice, 26 short-tailed shrews and 13 birds. Of the birds, there were 11 sparrows, 1 blue-bird and 1 warbler. Of this species Dr. 1 A'si-o wil-son-i-an'us. Fisher says: "It is both cruel and pernicious to molest a bird so valuable and innocent as the one under ; The Short-Eared Owl2 is of about the same size as the preceding species, but its ears are so short that they look like two small feathers that have been thrust carelessly into the plumage di- rectly above the eyes. Above it is a brownish- yellow bird, and buffy white mnderneath. It is found from the arctic regions of North America to Patagonia, and throughout nearly the whole of the Old World except Australasia. Its food habits are very similar to those of the long-eared owl, and it is equally deserving of a perpetual close season. The Barred Owl3 has not quite so good a reputation as the three noticed above, but its record is by no means bad. Out of 109 stomachs examined by the Biological Survey, three con- tained domest
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