418 



PREYING BIRDS — RAPTOKES. 



Bubo Virginianus, Gmelin. 



THE GREAT HORNED OWL. 



Strix Virgimana, Gmelix, Syst. Nat. I. 1788, 287. — Wilson, Am. Orn. VI. 52 ; pi. 50, f. 

 I. — Audubon, Birds Amer. ; pi. 61. — Nuttall, Man. I. 129. — Buho Yiniininmis, 

 BoN.^r.iKTU, Corap. List, 6. — Audubon, Birds Amer. ; pi. 61 ; oot. cd. I. 14.3, pi. .39. 

 — Nuttall, Man. I. 124. — Vars. arcticus, Atlanlicus, Pad finis, Cassin, Birds of C.il. 

 and Texas, I. 1853, 178. Ib. P. R. Rep. Birds, IX. 49. —Newberry, VI. 76. — Ken- 

 NERLY, X. iv. 20. — Heeemann, X. vi. 35. — Coopek and Suckley, XII. iii. Zool. of 

 W. T. 154. — Coues, Pr. Phil. Ac. 1866, 49. 



Sp. Ch.\k. Uppi'r parts usually dark brown, each foather mottlod an<l barred with 

 irregular lines of pale ashy and reddish, the latter color prevailing at the base of featlu'rs. 

 Ear tufts dark brown, nearly blaek, their inner webs edged with dark fulvous; a blaek 

 spot above the eye, posterior feathers of disk pale or dark reddish ; tips of all black. 



S. Virgiilinnus. 



Throat and neek in front white ; breast with wide longitudinal black stripes, other under 

 parts variegated with white and fulvous, each feather with narrow transverse brown lines. 

 Middle of abdomen frequently white. Feathers of legs and toes white or fidvous, fre- 

 quently with narrow dark-brown bars. Quills brown, with wide transverse cinereous 

 bands ; usually tinged, on inner webs, with fulvous ; tail similar, with much fulvous on 

 outer feathers. 



Var. Pacifcns is less redilish, and tlie posterior part of facial disk is pale ashy ; the 

 general color darker. 



Var. arcticuss, pale yellowish, lace and legs nearly white, markings indistinct. 



