300 BUBO VIRGINIANUS, GREAT HORNED OWL 



tained its occurrence in Arizona; once, wading' through a reedy lagoon 

 at midday, I disturbed a Barn Owl, which rose silently and llai)i)ed 

 along till I brought it down. It is a common bird in Caliiornia — appar- 

 ently the most abundant species of its family in the southern part of 

 the State; and, according to Dr. Cooper, it extends its range to the 

 Columbia, in lat. 40°. Ur. jS^ewberry observed an interesting modihca- 

 tion of its habits by circumstances, which cause it to inhabit holes in 

 the peri)endicular cliffs bordering the shore of San Pablo Bay. Tiie 

 same fact has been noted by Mr. Dall, in the case of Brachijotus pahudrlfi^ 

 in the Aleutian Islands ; so that our Burrowing Owl is not the only 

 species that lives in holes in the grourd. In the Atlantic States, the 

 Barn Owl is not abundant north of the Carolinas; J found it on the 

 coast of North Carolina, in the salt marshes. It occurs, however, regu- 

 larly, if rarely, in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Dr. 

 TurnbuU observes : " Not rare, and more frequent in spving and autumn. 

 Its nest is generally found in a hollow tree, near marshy meadows." Its 

 occurrence in New England must be regarded as exceptional, and it has 

 not been observed in that section further north than Massachusetts. 

 In 1843 (Am. Journ. xliv, 253), Rev. J. H. Linsley reported the capture 

 of a specimen at Stratford Conn. According to Mr. Allen, as al)ove 

 quoted, Dr. Wood took one at Sachem's Head, Connecti(;ut, October 28, 

 1865. The first specimen known from Massachusetts was procured near 

 Spriugtield, in May, 1800, as stated in my paper above quoted ; another 

 was shot near Lynn, in the same State, in 1803, as recorded by Mr. Allen. 

 This completes the New England quotations to date. 



The egg of this species is colorless, and measures about 1| in length 

 by 1^ in greatest breadth. Little or no preparation is made for the re- 

 ception of the eggs, which are simply dropped on the debris — often the 

 bones and the remains of the birds' food — in the cavities or recesses to 

 which the birds resort to breed. The eggs are said to vary from three 

 to six in number. 



BUBO VIRGINIANUS, (Gm.) Bp. 

 Great Horned Owl. 



a. virginianus. 



Strix virgiriiarms, Gm., Syst. Nat. i, 1788, 287. — Lath., Ind. Orn. i, 1790, 52 (Biuss., i, 

 484; Eagle Owl, Arct. Zool. ii, 228; Virgiuian Eaic-d Owl, Edw., 60; Gen. 

 Syu. i, 119).— Daud., Tr. Orn. ii, 210, pi. 13.— Shaw, G. Z. vii, pi. 30.— Temm., 

 TaLl. Meth. p. 7.— WiLS., Am. Oiu. vi, 1812, 52, pi. 50, f. 1.— Bp., Syn. 1828, 37; 

 Isis, 1832. 1139.— Rich. & Svv., F. B. A. ii, 1831, 82 (Snbg. Biibo).—NvTT., Man. 

 i, 1832, 124.— AuD., Orn. Biog. i, 1832, 313 ; v, 393 ; pi. 61.— UeKav, N. Y. Zool. 

 1844, pi. 10, lig. 22.— Peab., Rep. Orn. Mass. 1839, 87.— Thoju'S., N. H. Vt. 65. 



Buho virgimaiitis, Bv., List, 1838. 6 ; Consp. i, 1850, 48.— AuD., Syn. 1839, 29 ; B. Am. i, 

 1840, 143. pi. 39.— Giu., B. L. I. 1844, 27.— Ivaup, Monog. Coiit. Orn. 1852, IIG; 



• Tr. Z. S. iv, 18.59, 241.— Cass., 111. 18.54, 177.— Buinv., N. A. 0. 18.57, 64.— Maxim., 



.J. f. O. vi, 1858, 23.— Bd., B. N. A. 1P58, 49.— ScL., P. Z. S. 18.59, 390(Oaxaca).— 

 ScL. &. Salv., Ibis, ii, 1860, 276 (Guatemala).— Scl., P. Z. S. 1860, 253 (Ori- 

 zaba).— Coop. & Suck., N. H. Wash. Ter. 1860, 154.— Blak., Ibis, iii, 1861, 

 320.— Lord, Pr. Roy. Arty. Inst, iv, 1864, 111.— Diiess., Ibis, 18G5. 330 

 (Texas).— CoiiES, Pr." Phila. Acad. 1866, 49 (Arizona).— Lawh., Ann. Lye. N. Y. 

 ix, 132 (Costa Rica).— Dael & P.axn., Tr. Chic. Acad. i. 1869, 272 (Alaska).— 

 SCE. & Saev., p. Z. S. 1869, 155 (Peru).— Salv., P. Z. S. 1870, 116 (Veragua).— 

 Coop.. B. Cal. i, 1870, 418.— Finscu.. Abli. Nat. iii, 1872, 26 (Alaska).— Coues, 

 Key, 1872, 202, f. 135.— B. B. & R., N. A. B. iii, 1874, 62 ; and of authors. 



Buho viryinianHii allanlicits, Cass., 111. 1854, 178. 



Ottis virfjinianKn, Sti;ph., Shn w's G. Z. xiii, pt. ii, 57. 



Ultda virfjiniaiin, Jam., ed. Wils. i, 100. 



(?) Strix maximuti, Baktk., Trav. Fla. 1790, 285 (" capite aurito, corpora niveo "). 



