416 PREYmG BIRDS — RAPTORES. 



colored ; primaries with about five irregular transverse bars of brownish-black ; tail with 

 about four or five bands of dark brown. Face white, spots of dark chestnut-brown around 

 the eyes. Length, 15.50 to 17.00 ; extent, 40.00 to 45.00 ; wing, 12.75 to 14.00 ; tail, 5 00 

 to 5.50. Iris brownish-black ; bill, toes, and claws yellowish. 



Hah. The United States as far north as Long Island, New York, and the Columbia 

 River, lat. 46 ^ The West Indies ; Central and South America generally. 



Abundant throughout the southern part of California, especially near the 

 coast, frequenting cliiefly old buildings, barns, etc., but often found hid in 

 dark thickets and hollow trees. It closely resembles the Euroi^ean barn- 

 owl, and others of almost every part of the world, and its habits seem to 

 resemljle closely tliose of its Old W(H"ld relati^'e. In tlie AtMntic States it 

 is said rather to avoid human habitations, Ijut this is proliably on account 

 of the thoughtless persecution too much practised among our countrymen 

 against all owls, under the impression that they destroy fowls. Careful 

 observations of the habits of the European species have shown that they 

 very rarely if ever do so, and that, on the contrary, they destroy an incredi- 

 ble number of rats and mice, — in fact, more than they and their young can 

 eat ; a pair of old ones being watched and seen to arrive at the nest every 

 few minutes with a rat or mouse, during the early night. 'Wnten flying 

 about at dusk they utter a variety of loud, har.sh, and rather strange cries, 

 which are sometimes heard throughout the night. Tlieir nest is merely the 

 natural floor of the cavity in which they li\'e, and tlieir eggs are said by 

 Nuttall to be three to five, of a whitish color. 



Audubon also found them nesting among high grass on the ground in 

 Texas, on the 3d of May. They had avenues leading under the grass and 

 bushes for some distance from the nest. Tlie eggs were ovate, 1.79 by 1.25 

 inches, white and rougli. 



The figure of the European Strix flammca, under the general head, will 

 illustrate the American bird sufficiently, as they are scarcely, if at all, to be 

 distinguished. 



Specimens from different regions of the earth exhiljit certain peculiarities 

 whicli have been made the basis of specific distinctions, but it is question- 

 able whether these are more than climatic variations. 



Sdb-Familt BUBONIN^, The Horned Owls. 



Char. Head with erectile and prominent ear-like tufts. Eyes large ; 

 facial disk not complete above the eyes, and liills, legs, feet, and claws 

 usually very strong. Size various. 



The species are numerous, and found almost everywhere throughout the 

 globe. 



