THE GKEAT GRAY OWL. 345 



117. Scotiaptex cinerea (GMELIN). 



GREAT GRAY OWL. 



Strix einerea GJCELIX, Systema Natune, i. i. 1. 



Scotiaptex cinerea SWAINS, >x. Classification of Birds, n, 1837, 217. 



(B .-.'. R 399, C 4T4. U 570.) 



GEOGRAPHICAL RASHE: X- >rtheru North America, south in winter to the northern 

 border of the United States. 



The breeding range of the Great Gray Owl is confined principally to the 

 more northern regions of the North American continent, from the shores of Hud- 

 son Bay north to the limit of timber in about latitude G8 3 . It is reported com- 

 mon throughout the fur country and the interior of Alaska, and has also Ik-en 

 met with by L>rs. I 'no per and Newl>erry in different parts of the Pacific coast 

 The former observed it near the mouth of the Columbia River in June, and 

 obtained a specimen at the time, which would certainly indicate that it might 

 luved in the vicinity, while the latter is said to have observed it as far south as 

 Sacramento Valley in California, as well as in the Cascade Mountains, the IVs 

 Chutes Basin, and on the Columbia River, in Oregon. During an extended 

 tour of duty in various parts of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. I failed to 

 meet with this species at any time of the year. It is more or less migratory 

 during the winter, and much more abundantly met with along our northern 

 bonier in some seasons than others. The winter of 188!)-'90 was a notable 

 instance, and quite a number of these birds were captured or seen in various 

 parts of the New Kngland States. Nothing new respecting the nesting habits 

 of this Owl has been recorded within recent years. 



In the 'History of North American Birds." 1874 (Vol. in, pp. 32. 33), 

 it is stated: "On the 'Jod of May. l>r. Richardson discovered a nest of this 

 Owl -built on the top of a lofty balsam poplar, composed of sticks with a 

 lining of feathers. It contained three young birds covered with whitish 

 down. * * * 



"Mr. Donald Gunn writes that the Cinereous Owl is to In 1 found both 

 in summer and winter throughout all the country commonly known as the 

 Hudson Bay Territory. He states that it hunts by night, preys uj>on rabbits 

 and mice, and nests in tall poplar trees, usuallv quite early in the season." 



Mr. R. MacKarlaue, in his "Notes on the Land and Sea Birds of the Lower 

 Mackenzie River District." says: "1 should not say that this Owl was in 'great 

 abundance' in the Anderson River region, as inadvertently stated on page 

 ;'>;>, volume ill, of the 'Historv of North American Birds." We certainly 

 obtained very few specimens, and we found but one nest (which is referred 

 to in the same paragraph), on the h'th of July. 18(>2. near the Lockhart 

 River on the route to Fort Hood Hope: it was built on a spruce pine tree 

 at a height of about '_*0 feet and was composed of twigs and mosses, thinly 

 lined with feathers and down. It contained two eggs and two young, ln>th 

 of which had latelv died. The female left the nest at our approach and Hew 

 to another tree at some distance, where she was shot." 



