120 CINEREOUS OWL— GREAT GRAY OWL. 



fact, for the reason that in several of the leading works on our 

 North American ornithology, this species is stated to be 'resident 

 in Canada." For instance, only the other day, on taking up the 

 very elaborate and comparatively recent work of Dr. Elliott Coues 

 on the " Birds of the North-West," my eye fell on the following, 

 in his description of the Barred Owl — our next species: "It 

 appears to be somewhat a southerly bird, very abundant in the 

 woods of the South Atlantic and Gulf States ; but although com- 

 mon in New England, is i^atlicr sparingly represented in British 

 America, tlic iionie of the Great Gray Owl." I have myself 

 italicised the latter portion of this quotation, in which few words 

 there are two glaring errors which cannot be too speedily cor- 

 rected. 



And first, the Barred Owl instead of being "rather sparingly 

 represented in British America," is the most abundantly distri- 

 buted and most frequently met with of the family in Canada during 

 the fall, winter and spring months, retiring during the summer to 

 the more northern portions or to the fur countries to rear its 

 young. Secondly, Canada cannot be said to be " the home of the 

 Great Gray Owl," when this bird is only a rare winter visitant, 

 and is never seen in the summer. Cassin, and other writers of high 

 standing, have made the same mis-statement respecting the latter 

 bird ; but in the writings of the first-named author we find the 

 clue to the whole misunderstanding. Cassin makes his statement 

 on the authority of the late Dr. Hall, of Montreal, who, a number 

 of years since, drew out a list, entitled. " The Mammals and birds 

 of the District of Montreal," which was eventually published in our 

 Canadian Naturalist and Geologist.''' In this list the Great Gray 

 Owl, Snow Owl, and Hawk Owl are mentioned as resident birds, 

 nesting in the district. This statement, however, must be wholly 

 conjectural, as up to the present year (1876) no naturalist or 

 collector has himself taken, or heard of others having taken, the 

 eggs of either the Snowy or the Cinereous Owl in Canada ; and 

 I think the statement will as truly apply to the Hawk Owl. These 



• Vol. VII. , page 44, et seq. 



