384 THE GREAT HORNED OWL. 
to admit of it, both birds will lie over the eggs; if, however, it be small, the 
female covers the eggs and the male either wedges himself down by her side or 
lies on top of her, and sometimes finds a lodgment higher up in the hole, which, 
however, is rarely the case.” 
Incubation is completed in about three weeks, and the young when 
hatched require an enormous amount of food. ‘This is collected by night 
and a surplusage stored for consumption during the day. The birds remain 
ina family group for some weeks after leaving the nest, and it is not an unusual 
thing to come across them standing as motionless as statues on some hori- 
zontal limb at a low level in the woods. In one such group seen during 
the season of 1903, both parents were of the red phase and the four owlets 
gray. 
No. 169. 
GREAT HORNED OWL. 
A. O. U. No. 375. Bubo virginianus (Gmel.). 
Synonyms.—Hoor Owr (par excellence) ; Cat Ow; VircintA OWL. 
Description.—Adult: ar-tufts conspicuous, two inches or more in length, 
black, bordered with ochraceous ; entire upper parts dusky or blackish, finely mot- 
tled with whitish and ochraceous, the latter color predominant on each feather 
basally ; wing-quills and tail faintly broad-barred; facial disk ochraceous, sharply 
bordered by blackish laterally ; feathers whitish with black tips centrally; a broad 
white space on chest; feathers of remaining under parts tawny at base, changing 
to white on terminal portions, finely and heavily barred with dusky-brown; the 
sides of the breast heavily spotted with the same color; iris bright yellow; bill and 
toe-nails bluish black. Young: Above and below ochraceous barred with dusky. 
Length 18.00-25.00 (457.2-635.) ; av. of eight Columbus specimens: wing 15.06 
(382.5); tail 9.60 ( (243.8) ; bill including cere 1.66 (42.2). Female averages 
two or three inches longer than males. 
Recognition Marks.—lLargest, except for the two very rare species. 
“Horns” and size distinctive. 
Nest, in a hollow tree, or in a deserted Hawk’s or Crow’s nest. Eggs, 2-3, 
rarely 4, white, subspherical. Av. size, 2.20 x 1.82 (55.9 x 46.2). 
General Range.—E astern North America west to the Mississippi Valley, and 
from Labrador south to Costa Rica. 
Range in Ohio.—Resident; no longer common. Occasional winter visitor. 
BUBO horribilis should have been the name of this feathered demon of 
the woods, this grizzly of the midnight air. He loves the darkness because 
his deeds are evil, and after the protecting sun has set, woe betide the mole 
