OWLS. 217 



370. Scotiaptex cinereum ( Gmel.). GREAT GRAY OWL. Ad. No 



ear-tufts, size very large ; upper parts fuscous, everywhere mottled with white, 

 and with little or no buffy ; facial disk gray, barred with black ; under parts 

 white, the breast broadly streaked, the belly and sides irregularly barred 

 and streaked with fuscous; legs and feet heavily feathered; bill and eyes 

 yellow. L., 27-00 ; W., 17-50 ; T., 12-00. 



Range. Breeds from Hudson Bay northward, and wanders southward in 

 winter to the northern border of the United States. 



Cambridge, very rare and irregular W. V. 



Nest, in coniferous trees. Eggs, two to four, 2-16 x 1-71. 



" Dr. Dall considers it a stupid bird, and states that sometimes it 

 may be caught in the hands. Its great predilection for thick woods, 

 in which it dwells doubtless to the very limit of trees, prevents it from 

 being an inhabitant of the barren grounds or other open country in 

 the north. . . . 



" The note of this Owl is said to be a tremulous, vibrating sound, 

 somewhat resembling that of the Screech Owl. . . . 



" Of 9 stomachs examined, 1 contained a small bird ; 7, mice ; and 

 4 other mammals " (Fisher). 



371. Nyctala tengmalmi richardsoni (Bo-nap.). KICHARDSON'S 

 OWL. Ad. Upper part* grayish brown and the head and back spotted with 

 white ; tail with four or five imperfect white bars ; under parts white, heavily 

 streaked with grayish brown ; legs and feet heavily feathered, whitish, barred 

 with grayish brown ; eyes yellow. Im. Upper parts dark cinnamon-brown, 

 with a few more or less concealed white spots ; tail as in the ad. ; breast 

 like the back ; belly ochraceous-buff. L., 10-00 ; W., 6-75 ; T., 4-40. 



Range. Northern North America ; south in winter to the northern United 

 States. 



Nest, in holes in trees or in old nests of other birds (?). Eggs, three to 

 seven, 1-35 x 1-14. 



" Richardson's Owl is nocturnal in its habits, remaining quiet dur- 

 ing the day in the thick foliage of the trees or bushes. In fact, its 

 vision is apparently so affected by bright light that many specimens 

 have been captured alive by persons walking up and taking them in 

 their hands. On this account the Eskimo in Alaska have given it the 

 name of ' blind one.' 



" The song of this Owl, according to Dr. Merriam (Bull. Nuttall 

 Ornith. Club, vol. vii, 1882, p. 237), is a low, liquid note that resem- 

 bles the sound produced by water slowly dropping from a height" 

 (Fisher). 



372. Nyctala acadica (Gmel.) SAW-WHET OWL; ACATHAN OWL. 

 Ad. Upper parts dark cinnamon-brown, the head finely streaked, the back 

 spotted with white ; tail with three or four imperfect white bars ; under parts 

 white, heavily streaked with cinnamon-brown or dark rufous; legs and feet 



