384 THE GREAT HORNED OWL. 



to admit of it, both birds will lie over the eggs; if, however, it be small, the 

 female covers the eggs and the male either wedges himself down by her side or 

 lies on top of her, and sometimes finds a lodgment higher up in the hole, which, 

 however, is rarely the case." 



Incubation is completed in about three weeks, and the young when 

 hatched require an enormous amount of food. This is collected by night 

 and a surplusage stored for consumption during the day. The birds remain 

 in a family group for some weeks after leaving the nest, and it is not an unusual 

 thing to come across them standing as motionless as statues on some hori- 

 zontal limb at a low level in the woods. In one such group seen during 

 the season of 1903, both parents were of the red phase and the four owlets 

 gray. 



No. 169. 



GREAT HORNED OWL. 



A. O. U. Xo. 375. Bubo virginianus (Gmel). 



Synonyms. HOOT OWL (par excellence) ; CAT OWL; VIRGINIA OWL. 



Description. Adult : Ear-tufts conspicuous, two inches or more in length, 

 black, bordered with ochraceous ; entire upper parts dusky or blackish, finely mot- 

 tled with whitish and ochraceous, the latter color predominant on each feather 

 basally ; wing-quills and tail faintly broad-barred ; facial disk ochraceous, sharply 

 bordered by blackish laterally; feathers whitish with black tips centrally; a broad 

 white space on chest ; feathers of remaining under parts tawny at base, changing 

 to white on terminal portions, finely and heavily barred with dusky-brown ; the 

 sides of the breast heavily spotted with the same color ; iris bright yellow ; bill and 

 toe-nails bluish black. Young : Above and below ochraceous barred with dusky. 

 Length 18.00-25.00 (457.2-635.); av. of eight Columbus specimens: wing 15.06 

 (382.5); tail 9.60 ((243.8); bill including cere 1.66 (42.2). Female averages 

 two or three inches longer than males. 



Recognition Marks. Largest, except for the two very rare species. 

 "Horns'" and size distinctive. 



Nest, in a hollow tree, or in a deserted Hawk's or Crow's nest. Eggs, 2-3. 

 rarely 4. white, subspherical. Av. size, 2.20 x 1.82 (55.9 x 46.2). 



General Range. Eastern North America west to the Mississippi Valley, and 

 from Labrador south to Costa Rica. 



Range in Ohio. Resident; no longer common. Occasional winter visitor. 



BUBO horribilis should have been the name of this feathered demon of 

 the woods, this grizzly of the midnight air. He loves the darkness because 

 his deeds are evil, and after the protecting sun has set, woe betide the mole 



