254 SURNIA ULULA — THE HAWK OWL. 



moderate size, and covered at base with projecting feath- 

 ers; legs short and densely feathered to the tips of the toes. 

 One American species. 



SuRNiA Ulula, Linn. — The Hawk Owl. 



Wilson's Anier. Orn., VI., pi. 50, fig. 6; Audubon's B. of 

 Am., Oct. ed., I., pi. 27. 



This bird is the joining link between the Hawks and 

 Owls. Like the former, it hunts by day, pursuing its prey 

 in the same manner. It also resembles the hawks in form 

 of body and length of tail. The distinguishing facial disc 

 has almost disappeared, and the head is smaller than that 

 of the owl proper. It is an active and courageous bird, 

 and is very abundant in Arctic America, from Hudson's 

 Bay to the Pacific coast- With us, it is, in all probability, 

 a winter visitor only. It breeds, however, in some of the 

 more Northern States and in Canada, and is said to feed 

 on small quadrupeds, grouse and ptarmigan, and to en- 

 deavor to seize the small game shot by the hunter. 



This species is rare in Ohio. Having no specimen, we 

 give the following description i'rom Cassin's Synopsis : 



"'•Size medium; first three quills incised on their inner 

 webs; tail long, with its central feathers about two inches 

 longer than the outer; tarsi and toes thickly feathered. 



'"''Adult — Entire upper parts fuliginous brown; the head 

 and neck behind with numerous small circular spots of 

 white; scapulars and wing coyerts with numerous, partially 

 concealed, large spots of white; face silky, greyish white; 

 throat mixed, dark brown and white; a large brown spot 

 on each side of the breast; all the other under parts trans - 

 versly lined or striped with pale brown; quills and tail 

 brown, with white stripes; bill pale yellowish, and claws 

 horn color; irides yellow; color of upper parts darkest on 



