Jan., 1909. Birds of Illinois and Wisconsin — Cory. 491 



Adult: The largest of our owls; no ear tufts; feet thickly feathered; 

 general plumage, dark brown, mottled and marked with grayish 

 white; facial disk, gray, marked with fine dark brown rings concen- 

 tric with each eye; under parts, more heavily streaked on the breast; 

 iris and bill, yellow. 



Length, about 25 to 29; wing, 16.25 to 18.25; tail, about 12; 

 bill, I. 



The Great Gray Owl is of rare occurrence in Illinois. Kennicott 

 (1854) records it from Cook County, and Mr. E. W. Nelson (Birds N. 

 E. Illinois, p. 116) gives it as "a very rare winter visitant." 



In Wisconsin Dr. Hoy gives it as having been taken near Racine 

 in 1848. Kumlien and Hollister (Birds of Wisconsin, p. 70) write: 

 " Two specimens were sent Thure Kumlien from Bark River woods, 

 Jeflferson County, about the same time (1848). We have received 

 two specimens from Iron River, taken in November, 1891. * * * '^= 

 If we could trust reports from hunters and' residents in the Lake 

 Superior region, we would say that it is not rare in winter in that 

 section, particularly during severe weather." King (Geology of 

 Wisconsin, 1883, p. 580) gives it as a winter resident. 



Genus GLAUX Morris. 



178. Glaux funerea richardsoni (Bonap.). 



Richardson's Owl. 



Nyctala iengmalmi richardsoni (Bonap.), A. O. U. Check List, 1895, 

 p. 144. 



Distr. : Arctic America; casual in winter in northern United States 

 as far south as New England and Illinois; breeds north of the United 

 States. 



Adult : Upper plumage, dark cinnamon brown, more or less marked 

 with white; under parts, streaked with white; top of head with white 

 spots; a black spot in front of the eye; more or less white on the face; 

 primaries, brown, marked with pure white irregular spots; tail, 

 brown, with imperfect bands of white; toes, thickly feathered; legs and 

 feet, more or less marked with dark brown. 



Length, 9.50 to 12 ; wing, 6.50 to 7.50; tail, about 4.40. 



Richardson's Owl must be considered a rare bird within our limits. 

 Mr. J. E. Deckinson records the capture of a bird of this species 

 in Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois (Ornithologist and Oologist, 

 March, 1885 p. 47) as follows: "Captured one Richardson's Owl, 

 October 15, 1884. He flew against a store window and was slightly 



