THE GREAT GRAY OWL. 467 



the woods is utilized, but not infrt'(|ue!Uly deserted nests of hawks and ctdws 

 are pressed into service. 



"The female attends chietly lo the duties nf incubatii.m, while soon after 

 the voung are able to leave the nest the male takes himself off to some hollow 

 tree, there to s;loom in sullen sdlitude for another vear." 



No. 185. 



GREAT GRAY OWL. 



A. O. U. No. 370. Scotiaptex nebulosa (Forster). 



Description. — Adult: Xo ear-tufts; general plumage mottled, dusky, gray- 

 ish brown, and dull whitish, darker above, lighter below, where the dusky mark- 

 ings are indistinctlv longitudinal on breast and belly, and transverse on flanks, the 

 whitish impure and with a fulvous element on the margin of the facial disk, hind 

 neck, wings, tail, etc.; wing-(|uills and tail indistinctly barred; facial disk about 

 six inches across, dusky gray, with numerous dusky hues imperfectly concentric 

 about each eye; the edge of the disk dark brown and fulvous, and with more white 

 below ; the eyes bordered by black on the inner margin ; iris yellow ; bill pale yel- 

 low ; feet and toes heavily feathered. Length 25.00-30.00 (635-762) ; wing 16.00- 

 18.00 (^406.4-457.2): tail 11.00-12.50 (279.4-317.5); bill with cere 1.40 (35.6). 



Recognition Marks. — Size largest, — Brant size; gray face; absence of ear- 

 tufts will immediately distinguish it from the Horned (Jwls. 



Nesting. — Not known to breed in Washington. Kcst: of sticks and moss, 

 lined sparingly with down, placed high in trees, usually coniferous. Eggs: 2-4, 

 white. Av. size, 2.16x1.71 (54.9x43.4). Season: .April-June, according to 

 latitude ; one brood. 



General Range. — Arctic .America, straggling southward in winter thru the 

 northern tier of states and on the Pacific slope south to northern California. 



Range in Washington. — Rare winter visitor both sides of the Cascades, ])os- 

 sibly resident in the mountains. 



Authorities. — ?Orn. Com., Jouni. .\.c. Xat. Sci. Phila. Ml. 1837, 193. 

 SYniinin ciiicrenin, Gmelin, Baird, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. IX. 1858, p. 56. T. 

 C&S. L'. Ra. E. 



Specimens. — Prov. B. C. BN. 



THIS giant Owd lacks the fierce aspect which horns impart and is really 

 more mild-mannered than the Great Horned representatives. His duniain is 

 the forest areas of the "North Countree" up to the very limit of trees, and 

 from thence he occasionally, but not commonly, flutters out upon the open 

 marshes and tundras. Mr. Dall, while stationed upon the Yukon, found the 

 birds "remarkablv stupid," and declares that he has caught them by hand in the 

 daytime. Certainlv their flight is heavy and their motions far from graceful ; 



