170 OWLS. 



ed; toes, two in front and two behind; tarsus feathered; 

 mainly nocturnal in habit. Young, inactive when hatched 

 and covered with whitish down. Flight, direct with rather 

 slow wing-beats. Eggs, white, 2 to 7. Food, small animals 

 and insects, and occasionally fishes. 



A. DISKED OWLS. Strigidae. 



Light-colored owls with the facial disk perfect, which 

 nest in caves or deserted buildings. 



a. Barn Owls, Strix. 



Wings, very long ;^ tail, short; plumage very soft. Cries, 

 loud and shrieking. 



1. AMERICAN BARN OWL, S. pkatincola. 17.00; 

 pale yellowish-brown, lighter beneath, spotted everywhere 

 with darker brown ; edge of facial disk and bands on wings 

 and tail also brownish, fig. 208. U. S., rare in the northern 

 portions. Breeds from the middle sections southward where 

 it is a resident. 



B. HORNED OWLS, Etc. Bubonidae. 



Owls of varying sizes, with the plumage not as soft as 

 in A, and the facial disk is nevei' as perfect. 



a. Dusky Owls. Syrniuni. 



Dark-colored, banded owls without ear tufts and with 

 plumage very full. 



1. BARRED OWL, S. NEBULOSUM. 20.00; banded with 



dusky and whitej transversely above and on upper breast, 



longitudinally below this; iris, brown, bill, yellow, fig. 209. 



Eastern U. S. from the Gulf States to Canada. Resident. 



Open nests in trees, eggs, in Feb. and March. Cries, pro- 



onged hoots, " Woe zvoc ivu ivoo'''' followed by a series of 



'' Wock zvock ivock TJuo-o-o''\ Common in unsettled sections. 



1*. FLORIDA BARRED OWL, S. j^. alleni. Smaller 



and darker than 1 with fewer feathers on toes. South At- 



^an'lc and Gulf States. Very common. 



