BUBO. 263 



Lower parts barred with dusky, but without strijDes ; anterior upj)er parts des- 

 titute of stripes ; iris bright yellow. (Subgenus Bubo.) 



Adult : Above vermiculated with blackish on a dull grajnsh or grayish 



brown ground-color (sometimes almost white), the outer webs of quills 



marked with quadrate spots of lighter and darker, and tail crossed by 



about seven nai'row bands of mottled dusky ; eyebrows and lores whitish ; 



part of throat and middle of chest white ; rest of lower parts more or 



less ochraceous or tawn}^ (tips or exposed portion of feathers usuall}^ 



whitish), the sides, flanks, etc., distinctly and regularly barred with 



dusky. Young : Quills and tail-feathers as in adult ; rest of plumage 



dull butf}^ or ochraceous, everywhere barred with dusky. Male : Length 



18.00-23.00, extent about 49.00-52.00, wing about 14.50-15.25, tail 8.25, 



weight about 3? pounds. Female: Length 22.00-25.00, extent about 



57.00, wing 16.00, tail 9.00. 



h^. Darker colored, with dusky markings more extensive or more numerous (or 



both), the plumage usually with much mixture of tawny or ochraceous. 



&. Moderately dark-colored, the face usually more or less rusty, and the 



plumage usually with an excess of ochraceous or tawny rufous. 



Eggs 2.12 X 1-81. Hah. Eastern North America, south through 



eastern Mexico to Costa Eica. 



375. B. virginianus (Gmel.). Great Horned Owl. 



&. Extremely dark-colored, the face usually sooty brownish, mixed with 



grayish white, the plumage usually without excess of ochraceous 



or tawny — sometimes with none. Egg (single) 2.24 X 1-90. Hab. 



Northwest coast, from Oregon north to Alaska ; Labrador. 



375c. B. virginianus saturatus Eidgw. Dusky Horned Owl. 

 b^. Lighter colored, with the light grayish and buffy tints of the ground-color 

 largely prevailing over the darker markings, the lower parts purer white, 

 c\ General aspect of plumage above grayish, with more or less of buffy 

 admixture; dark markings of lower parts distinct. Eggs 2.13 X 1-78. 

 Hab. Western United States (except northwest coast), eastward across 

 Great Plains (straggling to northern Illinois, "Wisconsin, and western 

 Canada), north to Manitoba, south over table-lands of Mexico. 

 375a. B. virginianus subarcticus (Hoy). Western Horned Owl. 

 c^. General aspect of plumage above white, through fading of the ground- 

 color and restriction of dark markings ; beneath pure white, with 

 dark markings, usually much restricted. Eggs 2.19 X 1-91. Hab. 

 Arctic America, chiefly in the interior ; south,.in winter, to northern 

 Eocky Mountains and Gi-eat Plains (Dakota, Montana, etc.). 



3756. B. virginianus arcticus (Swains.). Arctic Horned Owl. 

 Lower parts striped with black, but without bars; anterior upper parts also 

 striped with black (the ground-color, both above and below, ochraceous) ; iris 

 deep brown. (Subgenus Rhinoptynx Kaup.*) 



1 RhiiioptytiK Kaup, Contr. Orn. 1S52, Hi. Type, Strix mexicana Gmel. 



