THE AMERICAN HAWK OWL. 387 
Southern Michigan and Long Island. They were especially abundant in 
Ontario, and were much sought after for their plumage. According to Mr. 
Ruthven Deane, *‘a Mr. Owens, taxidermist, living near Mooresville, Mid- 
dlesex County, received and mounted twenty-two specimens during the 
winter, and commented on the fact that thirteen years ago he prepared exactly 
the same number, not having handled a single specimen in the interim.” 
Mr. Deane collected information of more than 430 of these Owls that were 
killed during this one flight. No specimens were reported for Ohio, but 
it is altogether probable that the birds might have been found along the Lake 
rie shore at that time. 
“The home of the Snowy Owl is on the immense moss and lichen cov- 
ered tundras of the boreal regions, where it leads an easy existence and 
finds an abundant supply of food during the short Arctic summers. It hunts 
its prey at all hours and subsists principally upon the lemming, and it is said 
to be always abundant wherever these mammals are found in any numbers. 
Small rodents are also caught, as well as Ptarmigan, Ducks, and other water 
fowl, and even the Arctic hare, an animal fully as heavy again as these Owls, 
is said to be successfully attacked and killed by them” (Bendire). 
No. 171. 
AMERICAN HAWK OWL. 
A. O. U. No. 377a. Surnia ulula caparoch (Mull.). 
Synonym.—Day OWL. 
Description.—Adu/t: Without ear-tufits; above dark grayish brown or fus- 
cous, finely and heavily spotted with white on head and upper back; with larger 
quadrate spots or bars of the same on middle back and wings; upper tail-coverts 
distinctly, and tail indistinctly or brokenly, barred with white; tail rounded, the 
outer pair of feathers about an inch shorter than the central pair; a crescentic 
patch behind the ear-coverts, another on the side of the neck behind, and one on the 
upper throat, pure dark brown; facial disk—so far as indicated—and chest, white ; 
breast irregularly barred or streaked with fuscous on white ground, sometimes 
almost solid fuscous ; remaining under parts closely and evenly barred with reddish 
brown and white in about equal proportions ; legs, fully feathered to the claws,tawny, 
spotted, or lightly barred with light reddish brown; bill yellow. Length 14.50- 
17.50 (368.3-444.5) ; wing 9.00 (228.6) ; tail 7.00 (177.8) ; bill .85 (21.6). 
Recognition Marks.—Crow size; small head, slender build; strictly diurnal 
habits; general hawk-like appearance. 
Nesting.—Does not breed in Ohio. Nest, of sticks, mosses, and feathers, in 
coniferous trees, or in holes of decayed trees, or even on a rock or stump. Eggs, 
3-7, white. Av. size, 1.53 x 1.24 (38.9 x 31.5). 
1 The Auk, Vol. XIX., pp. 271-283. 
