BUBO. 2G3 



Lower parts Uarrod with dusky, but without stripes; anterior upper parts des- 

 titute of stripes ; iris bright yellow. (Subgenus Bubo.) 



Adult: Above vermiculated with blackish on a dull grayish or grayish 



brown ground-color (sometimes almost white), the outer webs of quills 



marked with quadrate spots of lighter and darker, and tail crossed by 



about seven narrow bands of mottled dusky; ej-ebrows and lores whitish; 



part of throat and middle of chest white ; rest of lower parts more or 



less ochraceous or tawny (tips or exposed portion of feathers usually 



whitish), the sides, flanks, etc., distinctly and regularly barred with 



dusky. Young : Quills and tail-feathers as in adult ; rest of plumage 



dull buffy or ochraceous, everj'whoro barred with dusky. Male: Length 



18.00-23.00, extent about 49.00-52.00, wing about 14.50-15.25, tail 8.25, 



weight about 3^ pounds. Female: Length 22.00-25.00, extent about 



57.00, wing 16.00, tail 9.00. 



b\ Darker colored, with dusky markings more extensive or more numerous (or 



both), the plumage usually with much mixture of tawny or ochraceous. 



c'. Modcratelj- dark-colored, the face usually more or less rusty, and the 



plumage usually with an excess of ochraceous or tawny rufous. 



Ejgs 2.20 X 1-83. JIab. Eastern North America, south through 



eastern Mexico to Costa Eica. 



375. B. virginianus (Gmel.). Great Horned Owl. 



c*. Extremely dark-coloi-ed, the face usually sooty brownish, mixed with 



grayish white, the plumage usually without excess of ochraceous 



or tawny — sometimes with none. Egg (single) 2.24 X 1-90. Hab. 



Northwest coast, from Oregon north to Alaska ; Labrador. 



375c. B. virginianus saturatus Eidgw. Dusky Horned Owl. 

 b\ Lighter colored, with the light gra3-ish and buffy tints of the ground-color 

 largely prevailing over the darker markings, the lower parts purer white, 

 c'. General aspect of plumage above grayish, with more or less of buffy 

 admixture; dark markings of lower parts distinct. Eggs 2.18 X 1-85. 

 Jfib. "Western United States (except northwest coast), eastward across 

 Great Plains (straggling to northern Illinois, Wisconsin, and western 

 Canada), north to Manitoba, south over table-lands df Mexie<^. 

 375rt. B. virginianus subarcticus (Hoy). Western Horned Owl. 

 c'. General aspect of plumage above white, through fading of the ground- 

 color and restriction of dark markings; beneath pure white, with 

 dark markings, usually much restricted. Eggs 2,19 X 1-91. Hab. 

 Arctic America, chiefly in the intei'ior ; south, in winter, to northern 

 Eocky Mountains and Great Plains (Dakota, Montana, etc.). 



37ob. B. virginianus arcticus (Sw.vixs.). Arctic Homed Owl. 

 Lower parts striped with black, but without bars; anterior u)iper parts also 

 striped with black (the ground-color, both above and below, ochraceous) ; ii-is 

 deep brown. (Subgenus Rhinoptynx ELaup.') 



» Rhinoptynx Kacp, Contr. Orn. 1S52, 111. Type, Slrii mciicana Gmel. 



