BIRDS OF MINNESOTA. 211 



bars nearly pure white, on the outer webs and ashy fulvous on 

 the inner webs; tail light brown with about five bands of white 

 generally tinged with reddish-yellow; discal feathers tipped 

 with white; face ashy -white, with lines of brown and a spot of 

 black in front of the eye; throat dark brown; claws horn 

 color; bill pale yellow; irides bluish black. Sexes alike. 



Length, 18 to 20; wing, 13 to 14; tail, 9. 



Habitat, eastern United States to Minnesota and Texas. 



SCOTIAPTEX CINEREA (Gmelin). (370.) 



GREAT GRAY OWL. 



All statements to the contrary, and by whomsoever made, 

 this species is not so "far from common" in Minnesota as it 

 might be. A slip of the pen in the hastily prepared list of 

 birds, published by the Minnesota Academy of Natural 

 Sciences in 1874 made me say very common when speaking of 

 this species, and in my absence some one else read and cor- 

 rected the proof, who of course did not know that the word not 

 had been accidentally omitted, which was the case. 



The Great Gray Owl is justly called an Arctic species, and is 

 really a more northern bird than the Snowy Owl {Nyctea 

 nyctea), yet it has a recognized record as a winter migrant in 

 Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Massachusetts and New Jersey. 

 When I first visited Minnesota Territory between thirty and 

 forty years ago, I found several specimens of this huge owl in 

 a collection belonging to a gunsmith whose name I have lost. 

 which I was informed had been obtained in the immediate vi- 

 cinity. When in 1858 I removed to Minneapolis, I remembered 

 this amongst the earlier species of birds in which I conceived a 

 special interest. Before the close of the winter of 1859, I had 

 seen five, of which I obtained one myself, Mr. House two and 

 Mr. Henry two. 



In 1874, when the Bulletin of the Academy of Natural 

 Sciences was published, Mr. Shroeder of St. Paul had two, 

 Mr. Howling of this city three and I had seen three in priv^ate 

 collections Since the date of that publication, I have only 

 seen a few specimens in the hands of sportsmen and the taxi- 

 dermist for mounting. 



All observers admit that they are not seen as often of late as 

 formerly, in the lower portions of the State at least. Their 

 food is principally the same as that of the other owls so far as 

 I have been able to ascertain, and they retire northward in the 

 latter part of April. I have but one record so late as that date. 



