STRIGID.E — THE OWLS — BUBO. 419 



Length, 18.00 to 23.00 ; c.xtL-nt, 35.00 to 52.00 ; wing, 14.00 to IC.OO ; tail, 0.00 to 10.00. 

 Iris yellow ; bill and claws brownish-black. 



Hah. All of North America. Var. wclicus, iu the most northern and central regions; 



also found in the Alpine Sierra Nevada, about lat. 3,6°, by Mr. C. King. Found also, in 

 varying cliar.acters, through Mexico and Central America into South America. Not re- 

 corded from the West Indies. 



Next to tlie liurrowinn- o\\], this species is probably the most common in 

 California, or the most frec^uently seen, on account of its large size, and the 

 difficulty of its finding conceabnent during the day, where large hollow trees 

 are scarce. They are often started from the evergreen oaks, where they sit, 

 scarcely hid at all, and indeed seem able to bear a great deal of light. I 

 found a nest of this species near San Diego, apparently an old crow's-nest, 

 of which there were several in the same tree, about sLxty feet from the 

 ground. On climbing to it, the female flew oft' into the bright simlight, and 

 we were surprised to see two young, lately hatched and covered with white 

 down. I in-eserved one of them, and afterwards found an egg-shell in a 

 brook under the tree, white and larger than that of a hen when perfect. 

 They also build sometimes in hollow trees, and in Florida I liave seen a nest 

 built on the top of a lonely column, which was left standing after the ruin 

 of a fine building, almost in the broad sunlight. Eggs three to six, 2.38 by 

 2.00 inches, the ends alike. (Audubon.) This is probably the only species 

 of owl that preys much on domestic fowls, as all the other owls common in 

 California are rather too small to kill them. Their loud hooting is well 

 kno^\^l, and not like the cry of any other owl that I know of ; and travellers' 

 tales are filled with allusions to tlie terror inspired in the uninitiated by 

 hearing their sudden and unexpected note, when camped about a fire by 

 night in the woods. 



