P,Q NouTiT A^rK^lCA^* rtuds. 



Vera Cruz, :Mexico. Nothing is known as to any peculiarities of habit. 

 These are not probably diflerent from those of the asio. 



ctenis bubo, r>uM. 



Gen. Ch.vr. Size varying from incdiura to vx-iy Uvge ; head Tvith or without ear-tufts. 

 Bill black ; iris yellow. Two to four outer ([uills with their inner webs emarginatod. 

 Third or fourth quill longest. Bill very robust, the lower mandible nearly truncated and 

 with a deep notch near the end ; cere gradually ascending basally (not arched) or nearly 

 straight, not equal to the culmeu. Tail short, a little more than half the wing, slightly 

 rounded. Eai-conch .«mall, simple, without operculum ; the two ears .symmetrical. 



Subgenera. 



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

 tul'ts well developed; loral feathers not hiding the bill, and the claws and 

 terminal scutellaj of the toes exposed. Lower tail-coverts not reaching the 

 euil of the tail. (Type, B. maximus.) 



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

 i udimeutary ; loral feathers hiding the bill, and claws and entire toes con- 

 cealed by long hair-like feathers. Lower tail-coverts reaching to end of the 

 tail. (Type, N. scandiaca.) 



The species of this genus are mostly of very large size, two of them 

 {B. maximus and A\ scandiaca) lieing the lai'gest birds of the family. They 

 are nearly cosmopolitan, and are most numerous in the Eastern Hemisphere. 



Subgenus BUBO, Dim. 



Bubo, DfMiir.ii,, 1806. (Typi', SIrix hiibci, LiNX. = i). maxinuts, SiBB.) 

 rjiiiiostrix, IvAUr, 1849. (Type, Slrixmcviama, G.MEL. =B. mcxicanus, KiDOW.) 

 lihinoplijHx, Katp, and MlicuoptiniJ-; Kaup, 1857. (S.ime type.) 



Species and Eaces. 



1. B. virginiaiius. Lower parts transversely barred with black, and without 

 longitudinal stri[)es. Above without longitudinal stripes on the anterior por- 

 tions. 



a. A conspicuous patch of white on the jugulum ; lining of the wing im- 

 maculate, or only faintly barred. Wing, 14.00-16.00; tail, 8.00- 10.00; 

 culmen, 1.10-1.20; tarsus, 2.00 - 2.20 ; middle toe, 1.95-2.10. 



Rufous tints of the plumage prevailing; face dingy rufou.s. Ilab. 

 Atlantic Province of Korth America . . . . \ai: v irg i n iainis. 



Lighter tints of the plumage prevailing ; face dirty or fulvous white. 

 All the colors lighter, ffab. Western Province of United States, 

 and interior regions of British America. Upper Mississippi Valley in 

 winter (Wisconsin, TIov ; Pekiu. Illinois, Museum, Cambridge). 



var. arcticus. 

 Dusky tints of tlie plumage prevailing; face dull grayish, barred with 

 dusky. .VU the colors darker, chiefly browni.sh-black and grayish-white, 

 with little or no rufous. Hab. Littoral recions of northern Xorth 



