422 BIKDS OF ILLINOIS. 



GENUS NYC TEA STEPHENS. 



Nyctea STEPHENS, Shaw's Gen. Zool. xiii, pt. ii, 1826, 63. Type, Strix ermenia SHAW, 

 S. scandiaca LINN. 



GEN. CHAB. Size very large, the head comparatively small, and without obvious ear- 

 tufts. Loral feathers very long, almost concealing the bill, and hair-like feathers of the 

 toes nearly hiding the claws. Lower tail-coverts extending quite to the tip of the tail. 

 Color of adults pure white, relieved by more or less numerous bars of slate-color. 



The genus Nyctea is closely related to Bubo, and has been united 

 with the latter as a subgenus. They seem to be sufficiently dis- 

 tinct, however, as the following differential characters may serve to 

 show: 



Bubo. Two to three outer quills with their inner webs emarginated. Ear- tufts well 

 developed; loral feathers not hiding the bill, and the claws and terminal scutellae of the 

 toes exposed. Lower tail-coverts not reaching the end of the tail. 



Nyctea. Four outer quills with their inner webs emarginated. Ear-tufts rudimen- 

 tary ; loral feathers hiding the bill, and claws and entire toes concealed by long hair-like 

 feathers. Lower tail-coverts reaching to the end of the taiL 



Nyctea nyctea (Linn.) 

 SNOWY OWL. 



Popular synonyms. Great White Owl; Snow Owl; Ermine OwL 



Strixnyctca LINN. S. N. ed. 10, i, 1758, 93. WILS. Am. Orn. iv, 1812, 53, pi. 32, flg. 1. Sw. & 

 RICH. F.B.-A.ii,1831,88. NUTT. Man. i, 1832, 116. AUD. Orn.Biog. iv,1834,135; v, 1839, 

 pi. 121. 



Surnia nyctea SELBY, 1833. AUD. Synop. 1839,21; B. Am. i, 1840,113, pL 28. 

 Strix scaxdiaca LINN. S. N. ed. 12, i, 1766, 132. 



Xyctea scandiaca NEWT. ed. Yarrell's Hist, Brit. B. ed. 4, iii. 1872, 187. B. B. E. Hist. 

 N. Am. B. iii, 1874, 61 (var. scandiaca). RIDGW. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881. No. 406. 

 COUES, B. N. W. 1874,309; 2d Check List, 1882, No. 479. 

 Strix arctica BAETK. Trav. 1791, 2S9 (Pennsylvania). 



A'yctea scandiaca var. arctica B. B. & R. Hist. N. Am. B. iii, 1874, 61,70. 

 Strix nire.a THUNB. Sv. Sk. Handling, 1798, 84. 



Myctca nivra GBAY, 1844. CASS. in Baird's B. N. Am. 1858, 63. BAIBD. Cat. N. Am. B. 

 1859, No. 61. GOUES, Key, 1872. 275; Check List 1874, No. 325. 



. Sr. CHAB. Adult. Ground-color entirely snow-white, this marked with transverse 

 bars of clear dusky, of varying amount in different individuals. 



Male (No. 12.059, Washington, D. C., December 4, 1858: C. Drexler): Across the top of 

 the head, and interspersed over the wings and scapulars, are small transversely cordate 

 spots of clear brownish black, these inclining to the form of regular transverse bars on 

 the scapulars; there is but one on each feather. The secondaries have mottled bars of 

 more dilute dusky; the primaries have spots of black at their ends; the tail has a single 

 series of irregular dusky spots crossing it near the end. Abdomen, sides, and flanks 

 with transverse crescentic bars of clear brownish black. Wing, 16.50; tail, 9.00; culmen, 

 1.00; tarsus, 1.90; middle toe. 1.30. Wing formula, 3,2=4-5,1. 



Female (No. 12,058, Washington, D. C., December 4, 1858): Head above and nape with 

 each feather blackish centrally, producing a conspicuously spotted appearance. Rest of 

 the plumage with regular, sharply denned transverse bars of clear brownish black ; 



