THE OSPREY. 



119 



species, but particularly so in the present one. In the size of the body: the largest bill being on the 



slrieklandi it is rounded, and in l,-it(optera is partially largest body, and vice versa. 



concealed by the feathers of the chin. (See fig. 5.) The extremity of the lower mandible rarely pro- 



The tooth of the lower mandible is very prominent, trudes above the culmen in leinoptera, does so slight- 



the tomia being convex from the tip to a point about ly in <■. minor, and very decidedly in c. stricklandi, 



opposite the angle of the gonys forward of that in (See fig. 5) . The bases of both mandibles are much 



some cases and back of it in others; thence it contin- wider than in the Red Crossbill, which in turn is 



ues in a straight and almost horizontal line to the wider than in the White-winged. A curious fact 



angle of the mouth. It is just at the juncture of these about the species under consideration, is that in the 



two lines that the tooth 

 is formed, as is shown in 

 the cut. (See fig. 6.) In 

 the White-winged and 

 Mexican Crossbills this 

 tooth is placed a little 

 further back than in the 

 Red. 



Loxin c. striiklandi is a 

 much larger bird than 

 either of its relatives and 

 has a bill nearly twice the 

 size of the Red Cross- 

 bill's. Seven of the fif- 

 teen specimens e x a m - 

 ined, had the lower man- 

 dible passing to the right 

 of the upper, in the other 

 eight it crossed on the 

 left. (See figs. 7 and 8.) 

 The specimen which I 

 have selected as typical 

 of this species is a male 



GREAT HORNED OWLS 

 FROM PHOTOGRAPH OF LI 



specimens which have the 

 lower inaudible crossed 

 to the right, the extremity 

 of the upper is inclined 

 towards it, while in the 

 other specimens the ex- 

 tremity curves away from 

 it. In other words, it al- 

 ways curves to the right, 

 although the mandible 

 may first be deflected to 

 the left. 



In some specimens, that 

 portion of the upper tomia 

 where the lower mandi- 

 ble crosses it, is appar- 

 ently worn away; a cor- 

 ;aj responding spot exists on 

 ;^^ the lower mandible, and 

 as it is not evident in the 

 young specimens and 

 reaches its maximum in 

 the oldest ones, it is evi- 



shot by Gen. Crook, at Pine Springs, Arizona, and dently the result of use. There is a great varia- 

 preserved by Dr. Mearns. The measurements of this tion in the color of the bill, but as a rule it is a dark 

 birds bill are 10.5 mm. high at base, 19 mm. length horn color above, lighter below; some under man- 



of the upper mandible, and 16 mm. length of the 

 lower mandible. There is less variation in this 

 species than in the other two, although there is one 

 specimen which measures 10.5 mm. at base and 22 

 mm. in length. (See fig. 7.) The bills of the females 



dibles are flesh colored, others black. 



In summing up we find these features most prom- 

 inent: L. lencoptera, the smallest bird, has the small- 

 est bill, and greatest variation in size and form; L. c. 

 minor slightly larger, has a stouter bill, and less 

 variation; while /-. c. stricklandi, the largest of the 



are smaller than those of the males, and there seems three species, has the least variation and stoutest 

 to be some relation between the size of the bill and bill of all. 



PRACTICAL FEATHER WORK. 



CHARLES HALLOCK, ST. PAUL, MINN. 



PROPAGATING domestic fowls and plume birds 

 for their feathers, as a means of preserving 

 the native wild birds from extinction by the 

 market hunters, is a capital idea, and there ought to 

 be big money in the business. When it can be de- 

 monstrated that artificial production is the most pro- 

 fitable of the two ; the appeal to the pocket should 

 have co-right in staying the hands of the destroyers. 

 If the mercenary plume hunters could only be per- 

 suaded to institute a legitimate and profitable indus- 

 try for a hazardous and clandestine employment, 

 there might be some hope for the remnant of the 



feathered hosts which once populated our gulf States 

 and gave to Florida half its charm 



Not only Ostriches, but Peacocks, Paroquets and 

 even Birds of Paradise are now profitably propagated 

 for their feathers ; and it would be easy to add 

 Golden, Silver, and Mongolian Pheasants, Tur- 

 keys, Pigeons, Ducks, Guinea Fowl and Barnyard 

 Cockerels, of which at least thirty-five varieties are 

 grown, differing much in coloration. Indeed, we 

 opine that domestic poultry is already utilized for 

 decoration and the arts far more than laymen are 

 aware of. Anglers all know what quantities of Pheas- 



