184 BiKDS UK XdHI M {^AROLINA 



Genus Nyctea (Steph.) 

 167. Nyctea nyctea (Linn.). Snowy Owl. 



Description. — Pure white, more or less barred with duskv, tlic iiiMrkiiigs much more extensive 

 in;the female. I.., 23.00 to 27.00; W'., 17.2.^ to 1,S.7.'); T., ii.7.") to 10.2.5. 



Range. — Northern parts of Northern Hcmispliere, in winter strajifiling to North Carolina 

 Louisiana, etc. 



Range in Xorth Carulind. — ()cca.sioii:il in winter in :i!l ptirts of tlie State. 



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Fig. 142. Foot ok .v Snowy Owl. 



The beautiful Snowy Owl is only a very irreKiilar winter vi.sitor witli us; .still, 

 we have reeords of its oecurrenec in all three divisions of the State. In the eastern 

 section, one was taken on December 4, 1897, by W. E. Stone in Hyde Countj', and 

 is now in the State Museum at Raleigh. A second specimen in the Museum came 

 from Granville County, in the middle section, and was ca])tured on January 7, 

 1902. Another was taken in Nash County in late November, 1909, and in 1894 

 there was a mounted specimen in a btirrooni in Greensboro that had been shot in 

 Guilford County during the previous winter. We have Cairns's statement that he 

 had often heard of these owls being .seen not far from Wcavervillc, in the moun- 

 tains, and once had personally observed one. 



Though appearing larger than the Great Horned Owl, it is really a smaller 

 bodied bird. It is a keen, persistent hunter, and destroys many small birds and 

 mammals. As the principal home of this bird is in far northern latitudes, we need 

 have little fear of its depredations. 



The C'ahoi.ina I'ahoqiiet, Connropsin rarolinen.iis (Linn.), was once found in great numbers 

 in Nortli Carolina. We have no (U'finite records of its oecun-iuK liere, however, since Catesby's 

 record in 1731 i.Xadirid lliKlonj of Carolina, Florida, and the lialianm Islands). It was last noted 

 from South Carolina in 1S.')1, aiul there is a West Tennessee record as late ;is lS7t). Formerly 

 it wandered over the State in flocks, feeding upon the seeds of the cockle-burr, thi.stle, and other 

 plants. 



The Carolina Paroquet belongs to the order Psitlaci — parrots. 



XIII. ORDER COCCYGES. CUCKOOS, KINGFISHERS, ETC. 



This or<ler is comi)osed of a niniit)er of finite diverse families, mostly with the 

 toes either two in front and two behind, or with the outer and middle toes united 

 for half their length. 



