62 NORTH AMERICAN OOLOGY. PART I. 



FAMILY STRIGID^E. 



STKIGINJE. 

 STRIX PRATINCOLA. 



Strix flammed, WILSON, Am. Orn. VI, 1812, 57, pi. 1, fig. 2. 



BONAP. Syn. 1828, p. 38. 

 " NUTTALL, Manual, I, 1832, p. 139. 



AUD. Orn. Biog. II, 1835, 403 ; V, 388 ; pi. clxxi. 

 Strix pratincola, BONAP. Geog. and Comp. List, 1838, p. 7. 



CASSIN, Syn. N. A. Birds (Illust. Birds of Cal.), 1854, p. 116. 

 Strix americana, AUD. Syn. 1839, p. 25. 



" * " " Birds of Am. I, 1840, 127, pi. xxxiv. 



" " DE KAY, Nat. Hist. N. Y., Birds, 1844, pi. xiii. fig. 28. 



VULG. The American Barn Owl. The White Owl. 



THE geographical limits of the North American Barn Owl cannot be determined 

 with precision. Some disagreement exists among naturalists as to the identity and 

 diversity of several varieties in different parts of the world, all closely related to 

 each other, yet specifically distinct. The Strix flammed of Europe is both a distinct 

 species from the Strix pratincola and a smaller variety. The African is, again, prob- 

 ably a different bird from either. On this continent three distinct varieties, closely 

 resembling each other, are recognized by more recent writers as different species. 

 These are S. perlata of South America, 8. furcata of Cuba, and the 8. pratincola of 

 North America. The last-named Owl rarely, if ever, occurs, except by accident, 

 north of Pennsylvania, and is not common until we reach South Carolina. From 

 there it is distributed south and west to the Pacific. It is quite common in Texas 

 and New Mexico, and is one of the most abundant birds of California. It was not 

 met with by Dr. Woodhouse in the expedition to the Zuili River, but this may be 

 attributed to the desolate character of the country through which he passed, as this 

 Owl is chiefly found about habitations, and is never met with in wooded or wild 



regions. 



Dr. Heermann and Dr. Gambel, whose visit to California was before the present 

 increase in population, speak of its favorite resort as being in the neighborhood of 

 the Missions, and of its nesting under the tiled roofs of the houses. The latter also 

 refers to his finding numbers under one roof, and states that they showed no fear 

 when approached. The propensity of the California bird to drink the sacred oil 

 from the consecrated lamps about the altars of the Missions was frequently referred 

 to by the priests, whenever any allusion was made to this Owl. 



The South American variety was met with by Lieutenant Gilliss as far south as 

 Chile, where it was of unusual occurrence. This bird is readily distinguished from 

 the North American by its smaller Size and longer legs. The Cuban bird, which is 



