GREAT HORNED OWL— CAT OWL. 95 



like some stuffed specimens I have seen that were really bleached 

 by too strong sun-light. In some of the other species of Owls we 

 notice a similar diversity in the colors of individuals of the same 

 species, which really amounts to little more than a gradation from 

 a very light to a more intense tint. In the majority of instances, 

 however, the plan of the markings is the same throughout in the 

 same species. 



Cassin has grouped the different colored, and some different 

 sized Great Horned Owls into four leading varieties, namely : 

 Atlanticus, Pacificus, Arcticus and Magellanmis, and at one time 

 attempted to give to each of these a defined geographical distribu- 

 tion. This, however, he and others soon found to be futile ; for 

 after establishing these four races or varieties in 1854, Cassin 

 subsequently writes : " These varieties are evidently not to be 

 recognized as at all strictly geographical, nor so much so as 

 intimated in our notice of them alluded to above." 



In Canada, and in Massachusetts and neighboring States, 

 specimens have of late years been taken that typically represent 

 each of these varieties ; and in the vicinity of Toronto and west- 

 ward we find abundant evidences of the occurrence of the very 

 dark Atlatiticus and the very light colored Arcticus. The last 

 variety, however, is exceedingly rare at and around Montreal and 

 Quebec, where, in the greater number of specimens collected, the 

 colors are either very dark or decidedly ferruginous. Referring - 

 to the pale variety, Dr. Coues remarks that : " This peculiarity 

 of coloring seems to mark, in varying degree, Alpine specimens, 

 even so far south as New Mexico." The Great Horned Owls, 

 then, for the present, in all their variations of garb, may be con- 

 sidered as belonging to but one species — the Btibo J^irginiajius of 

 authors. 



In Canada the great Horned Owl is met with throughout the 

 year, and is known to breed in a number of localities in both the 

 Province of Ontario and of Quebec, and is said by Reeks to nest in 

 Newfoundland. These Owls, however, are particularly numerous, 

 and are more often met with during the fall and winter months than 



