STRIGID^ — THE OWLS. 



35 



A female (?) from Calais, Me., (4,9G6 ; G. A. Boarclman,) is somewhat 

 lighter-colored than the type, owing to the clearer white of the bars. It 

 measures, wing, 13.50 ; tail, 9.80. 



A specimen (4,357, January) from Washington, D. C, is quite remarkable 

 for the very dark tints of plumage and the unusual prevalence of the 

 brown ; this is of a more reddish cast than in all other sjiecimens, becoming 

 somewhat blackish on the head and neck ; anteriorly it prevails so as to 

 almost completely hide the pale bars of the back and nape. The tail has 



Si/mutm nebulos^tm. 



no bars except three or four very obsolete ones near the end ; beneath, the 

 ochraceous tinge is quite deep. The toes, except their first joint, are per- 

 fectly naked ; the middle one, however, has a narrow strip of feathering 

 running along the outer side as far as the last joint. The darker shades of 

 color, and more naked toes, seem to be distinguishing features of southern 

 examples. 



Habits. The Barred Owl has an extended range, having been met with 

 nearly throughout North America, from about latitude 50° to Texas. 

 Minnesota is the most western point to which, so far as I am aware, it 

 has been traced. It is more abundant in the vSouthern States than else- 

 where, and in the more northern portions of North America is somewhat 

 rare. Eichardson did not encounter it in the more arctic portion of the fur 

 countries, nor has it, so far as I can learn, been observed on the Pacific coast. 

 It is said to be of accidental occurrence in northern Europe. 



In Louisiana, as Mr. Audubon states, it is more abundant than anywhere 



