ZOOLOGY. 155 



SCOPS ASIO, Bonaparte. 



The Mottled Owl ; the Screech Owl. 



Slrix asio, LiXN. Syst. Nat. I, p. 132, (17f)6.) 

 Strunievia, Gsf. Syst. Nat. I, p. 2S9, (17SJ^.) 

 Seeps asio, Box.\p. Eur. and N. Am. Birds, p. 6. 

 Scy>s asio, (Linn ) B.vibd & Cassis, Gen. Rep. Birds, p. 57. 

 Figures. — Catesby's Nat. Hist. Carolina I, pi. 7; Vieill. Ois d'Am. Sept. I, pi. 21; Temm. pi. col. 80 ; Wilson, Am. Orn. 

 pi. 19, fig. 1, pi. 42, fig. 1; And. B. of Am. pi. 97; oct. ed. I, pi. 40; Nat. Hist. New Yorli, Birds, pi. 12, figs. 25, 26. 



Sp. Ch. — A small tufted owl. In adult the upper parts ashy brown, with streakings and mottlings of brownish black and 

 of cinereous. Below ashi/ whiie, striped with bluk and barred w'th nirrow Hack lines ; tail with about ten narrow cinereous 

 bands. 



Younger: nearly all upper parts pale brownish red, paler and white below; tail rnfous, with brown bands. 

 Young : entirely barred with ashy u-hile and }>ale brown ; wings and tail pale rufous. 

 Length, in both sexes, 9J to 1ft; wing, 7; tail, 34 inches. 



A specimen ol" this owl, in the mottled plumage, was obtained liy me at Fort Vancouver, W. 

 T.- S. 



OTUS WILSONIAUS, Lesson. 



The Long-eared Owl. 



Olus Wilsoniantts, Lesson, Traite d'Orn. I, p. 110, (1831.) 



Baikd & Cassi.n, Gen. Rep. Bird.s, p. 53. 

 Olus Arnerimntts, Botjap. Comp. List, p. 7, (1838.) 

 Striz Americana, Gm. Syst. Nat. I, p. 288, (1788?) 

 Slrix perigrinaior, Bertram, Travels, p. 289, (1790?) 

 FiGUBES. — Wilson, Am. Orn. VI, pi. 51, fig. 1; And. B. of Am., pi. 383; oct. ed. I, pi. 37; Nat. Hist. New York, Birds, 

 pi. 11, fig. 24. 



Sp. Cn. — Ear tufts long, above mottled, a brownish black hue predominating, mixed with ashy; breast pa,\e fulvous, with dark 

 stripes and narrow bars; eye nearly encircled with black; rest of face ashy; tail brown, with several irregular bands of ashy 

 fulvous, and mottled. 



Female: Length, 15 ; wing, 11 to 12J; tail, 6 inches. Mile rather smaller. 



No. 9143, (19,) John D.ay's river, Oregon Territory, November 12, 1853. Length 14.50; extent, 38. Female. 

 No. 8243, (225,) 100 miles east of Fort Kearney, Nebraska, October 28, 1857. Length, 14. 50; extent, 37. 50; wing, 12. 

 Iris, yellow; bill, bluish; toes, gray. 



The long-eared owl I only obtained once, on the banks of the Columbia, east of the Dalles, 

 November, 1853. In the same desolate and barren region, where the only trees are a few 

 small willows along the banks of the river, several species of owls are found, which, apparently, 

 have deserted their favorite forests for the sake of the hares and mice abounding in some parts 

 of this region. The willows scarcely diminish the brightness of the sunlight, which strikes 

 down on them from morning to night. — C. 



I obtained a bird of this species in a dense thicket, on a small branch of Milk river, Nebraska. 

 I suppose that, owing to the scarcity of hollow trees in that vicinity, the umbrageous shelter 

 of thick brush is used as a substitute. The owl appeared stupid and sleepy, and allowed a very 

 near approach. — S. 



BRACHYOTUS CASSINII, Brewer. 



The Short>eared Owl. 



Brachijoias Cassinii, Brewer, Proc. Boston Soc. N. H. Baird & Cassi.v, Gen. Rep. Birds, p. 54. 

 Slrix brachyolus, Forstek, Bhil. Trans. London, LXIl, p. 384, (1772.) 

 Brachyotus paluslris americmus, Bonap. Consp. Av., p. 51, (1819.) 



