188 HORNED OWLS, ETC. 



Distribution. — Breeds in arctic portions of the northern hemisphere, 

 migrating- south in North America almost across the United States and 

 even reaching, accidentally, the Bermudas. 



Nest. — In a slight depression of the ground, on a knoll, made of a few 

 feathers, lichens, or moss. Egys : usually .5 to 7, white. 



Food. — In summer, lemmings and meadow mice ; in winter, fish, hares, 

 muskrats, squirrels, rats, ptarmigans, ducks, and even offal. 



The suowy owl is a circumpolar species, breeding in the arctic 

 parts of the northern hemisphere and coming south in winter. 



Mr. Nelson, while traveling south of the Yukon in December, shot 

 an owl whose nearly immaculate milky white plumage was suffused 

 with ' a rich and extremely beautiful shade of clear lemon yellow, 

 exactly as the rose blush clothes the entire plumage of some gulls in 

 spring. The morning after the bird w^as killed the color was gone, 

 the plumage being dead wiiite.' 



GENUS SURNIA. 



377a. Surnia ulula caparoch {MiUL). American Hawk Owl. 



Head without ear tufts ; ear openings small like Bubo and Nyctea ; tail long, 

 more than two thirds length of wing, graduated; tarsus scarcely or not longer 



than middle toe ; feet thickly 

 feathered to claws. Adults : face 

 grayish white, encircled hy heavy 

 black ring ; patches on throat, 

 ^^_ sides of head, and hack of neck 



'^" "^ ' black ; chest hand whitish ; rest 



of under parts closely and regularly barred with brown and white ; top 

 of head and hind neck blackish or brownish, dotted with white ; rest of 

 upper parts dark brown, mainly spotted or barred with white. Young : 

 upper parts dark brown, feathers of top of head and hind neck tipped 

 with grayish buff, those of back with indistinctly lighter tips ; lores and 

 ear coverts brownish black ; rest of face whitish ; under parts whitish, 

 washed with sooty on chest, barred below. Length: 14.75-17.50. wing- 

 about 9, tail 6.80-7.00. 



Distribution. — Northern North America, south in winter to the north- 

 ern United States, casually to Massachusetts, and rarely to the British Isles. 

 Recorded from northern Montana and Newfoundland in the breeding season. 

 Nest. — Old woodpecker holes, natural cavities in trees, and old nests of 

 other species relined Avith moss and feathers. Eggs : 3 to 7, white. 



Food. — Small mammals, such as mice, lennnings, and ground squirrels ; 

 also ptarmigans and insects. 



' ' The hawk owl is strictly diurnal, as much so as any of the hawks, 

 and like some of them often selects a tall stub or dead-topped tree in 

 a comparatively open place for a perch, w here it sits in the bright 

 sunlight w^atching for its prey. Although the flight is swift and 

 hawk-like, it has nevertheless the soft, noiseless character common 

 to the other owls. When starting from any high place, such as the 

 top of a tree, it usually pitches down nearly to the ground, and flies 

 off" rapidly above the tops of the bushes or high grass, abruptly ris- 



