432 



PREYING BIRDS — EAPTORES. 



transverse bars nearly pure white on the outer webs, and ashy-fulvous on the inner webs ; 

 tail light brown, with about five bands of white, generally tinged with reddish-vellow. 

 Feathers of disk tijiped with white ; face ashy-white, with lines of brown, and a spot of 



S. nebulosum. 



hlac-k in front of the eye ; throat dark brown ; claws horn-color ; bill pale yellow ; irides 

 bluish-black. Sexes alike. Total length about 20.00; wing, 13.00 to 14.00; tail, 9.00. 

 Sexes nearly of the same size. 



Hah. Eastern North America. South to jNIexico. 



No specimens of this well-known species have yet been found west of the 

 Eocky Mountains of the United States. As it is, however, exceedingly im- 

 probalile that a bird of such wide range in other parts of North America 

 should not cross the mountains, we introduce it here, in anticipation of the 

 period of its detection in the mountains of California, which will un- 

 doubtedly occur sooner or later. The nocturnal habits of the owls naturally 

 keep them from the notice of observers, and even in the Eastern States 

 some species are but rarely seen or killed, although perhaps known to be 

 actually abundant. 



Messrs. Sclater and Salvin have lately described /S'. fulvcscens as a A-ery 

 closely allied Mexican species. (Baird.) 



