HORNED OWLS, ETC. 179 



and broadly tipped with whitish ; tail banded ; under parts whitish, barred and 

 spotted with brown. J.ength : ll», wing- 12.00-18.50, tail .S.50-<).00, bill .90. 

 Distribution. — From southern Colorado and New Mexico to California 

 and south to Lower California and northwestern Mexico. 



The spotted owl is the westerD representative of the barred owl, 

 and is so closely (confined to the thinly settled mountain regions of 

 the west that little is known of its habits. ^Ir. Lyman Belding 

 compares its call to the barking of a dog. 



369a. S. O. caurinum Merrium. Northern Spotted Owl. 



►Similar to the spotted owl, but darker, with white spots and markings 

 restricted, especially on head and back ; wing- quills darker, the broad 

 white tip almost obsolete. Wing: 12.10; tail (middle feathers) 8.06. 



Distribution. — Coast region of Washington and British Columbia. 



GENUS SCOTIAPTEX. 



370. Scotiaptex cinerea (Gmel.). Great Gray Owl. 



Ear tufts wanting- ; ear openings large, with conspicuous anterior Hap, 

 the two ears strikingly different ; bill nearly hidden by feathers ; toes en- 

 tirely covered with feathers ; eyes yellow, eye ring- black ; bill small, nearly 

 hidden by feathers ; face with concentric rings of gray and dark brown ; 

 upper parts sooty, mottled with gray and blackish ; wing quills and tail 

 banded ; under parts mixed sooty and whitish, with irregular sooty streak- 

 ing ; flanks and legs barred. Length: 25-30, extent 54-()0, wing about 

 10-18, tail 11.00-12..50. 



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

 border of the United States. 



Nest. — In evergreens, made of sticks, feathers, and sometimes mosses. 

 Ji^ggs : 2 to 4, white. 



Food. — Mainly rabbits, mice, and other small mamnuils, together with 

 birds. 



" Its great predilection for thick woods, in which it dwells doubt- 

 less to the very limit of trees, prevents it from being an inhabitant 

 of the barren grounds or other open country in the north. It is 

 crepuscular or slightly nocturnal in the southern parts of its range, 

 but in the high north it pursues its prey in the daytime. In the 

 latter region, where tlie sun never passes below the horizon in sum- 

 mer, it is undoubtedly necessity and not choice that prompts it to be 

 abroad in the daylight. . . . The note of this owl is said to be a 

 tremulous, vibrating sound, SDincwhal resembling thai of the screech 

 owl." (Fisher.) 



GENUS NYCTALA. 



CerierdI Cluirarters. — Wing 5 25-7.10: car tuft.s wanting ; ear openings 

 nearly ('(lu.il to heiglit of sknil, with anterior flap, the two ears conspic- 

 jiously difrcrcnt ; feet tliickly fcatliert'd to daws. 



KKV TO SrEClKS. 



1. Wing r>.5() or more richardsoni. p. iso 



r. Wing less than (5, 



