. The American natural history; a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America. Natural history. 222 OEDEKS OF BIKDS—BIRDS OF PKEY owl; but of course the black markings are not the same. This Owl exhibits a peculiarity in color which must be specially noted. It has two distinct and widely different colors, red and gray. In the same locality will be found owls that are of a cold, black-and-white gray color, and others that are pale, rusty red, with white mottlings on the alDdomen. For this very odd develop- ment, we are rjuite unable to account; and such. Sakborn, Photo
. The American natural history; a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America. Natural history. 222 OEDEKS OF BIKDS—BIRDS OF PKEY owl; but of course the black markings are not the same. This Owl exhibits a peculiarity in color which must be specially noted. It has two distinct and widely different colors, red and gray. In the same locality will be found owls that are of a cold, black-and-white gray color, and others that are pale, rusty red, with white mottlings on the alDdomen. For this very odd develop- ment, we are rjuite unable to account; and such. Sakborn, Photo., N. Y. Zoolosical Park. YOUNG SCREECH-OWLS. lawless color-variations are called "phases," pos- sibly because they phase the naturalists who try to study out their whys and wherefores. In its food habits, the Sereech-Owl prefers, if it can procure them, mice, grasshoppers, lo- custs, cut worms, beetles, caterpillars, crickets, spiders, lizards, frogs and crawfish. If these are lacking, it attacks the English sparrow and almost any other small bird that comes handy, usually other spai-rows. To show that when very hungry all birds look alike to him, he oc- casionally kills and eats a bird of his own species! Dr. A. K. Fisher's ever useful and scholarly report on the "Hawks and Owls of the United States" sets forth in full detail tne results of the examination of 255 stomachs of Screech-Owls, of which the following is a summary of contents: 100, insects; 91, mice; 12, Enghsh sparrows; 26, other birds; 11, miscel- laneous mammals; 9, crawfish; 7, miscellaneous food; 5, spiders; 5, frogs; 2, lizards; 2, scorpions; 2, earth-worms; 1, poultry; 1, fish, and 43 were empty. The following is a full list of the birds found: 12 Enghsh sparrows, 9 other sparrows, 3 juncos, 2 Screech-Owls, 1 shore-lark, 1 water thrush and 15 unrecognized. Leaving out the two Screech-Owls, of the birds that were identified, the English sparrows formed practically one-half. On tliis basis
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