GREAT (!KAV OWL. 



Uliila ciuL'iea. 



DESCRIPTION. 



"A very large round Iieailed owl. without ear tufts; alUiouKli 

 much larger, i-esembles somewhat the Barred Owl, but can be 

 easily distinguished from the- latter. Length (female) 2S; ex- 

 tent about 56; tail 12; bill and eyes yellow; claws long and very 

 sharp and dusky. Above darlc-brown, feathers variously 

 spotted, mottled or barred with line grayish-white markings: 

 lower parts similar but more grayish, with longitudinal 

 streaks on breast, and cross bars of white and dusky on 

 flanks; face grayish-white with numerous narrow rings of 

 dusky: a patch of black about eyes on either side of bill." 



Ha6i<a<.— Arctic America, straggling southward in winter, to 

 the northern border of the United States. Straggler in Penn- 

 sylvania. 



This owl, one of the Largest, if not the largest in 

 North America, is found in Pennsylvania only as a 

 very rare and irregular straggler in winter. Twenty 

 or more years ago a specimen was captured in Chester 

 county in midwinter by H. 15. Graves. Dr. Isaiah F. 

 Everhart. of Scranton. Vi\.. has a specimen in his col- 

 lection which he found swuc years ago in the moun- 

 tains in Lackawanna counly. .V specimen was also 

 taken some years ago frnm ;i smoke staik of a si cam 

 boat at Erie city. T have also l:(.;trd of Iwo or lliree 

 more specimens of this species being taken in this 

 State. 



ITS DIETARY. 



From iHMsuiial observation 1 know nothing of the 

 habits of this bird, never having seen one alive. 



Concerning this species Dr Fisher says: "The food 

 seems to consist principally of hares, mice and other 

 of the smaller mammals as well as small birds. 

 Whether it destroys many grouse or ptarmigans is not 

 stated bv ••mlhors wlio ;iiv nicsl r-iiiiiliar willi llic liinl. 



