3 86 THE SNOWY OWL. 



Shanghai roosters and a cage of parrots were closing in for a life and death 

 struggle, but the music suddenly ceased before the bird-man could command 

 his gun and his nerves. Some nights later the shivaree was repeated, from 

 the chimney of a neighboring church ; and there I saw the Owl, clearly outlined 

 against the moonlit sky. The tension of mystery \vas relieved but the 

 concrete awfulness of that first occasion haunts me yet like a voice from 

 the Inferno. 



The Great Horned Owl is the earliest nester in the state. Fresh eggs 

 are usual the last week in February, and January records are not unknown. 

 Eggs are deposited in old Crows' or Hawks' nests, or, less commonly, in 

 hollow trees. They are laid at intervals of two or three days, and incuba- 

 tion, beginning with the first egg, is kept up about four weeks. The owlets 

 are thrifty young knaves, and their maintenance costs many a hecatomb 

 of rats and rabbits, with now and then a juicy quail. 



No. 170. 



SNOWY OWL. 



A. O. U. No. 376. Nyctea nyctea (Linn.). 



Description. Adult male: Without plumicorns; entire plumage pure white, 

 sometimes almost unmarked, but usually more or less spotted or indistinctly barred 

 above with pale brownish or fuscous, perhaps heaviest on middle of back and 

 wing-coverts ; wing-quills and tail-feathers irregularly and sparingly spotted with 

 dusky; below still fainter indications of dusky barring; legs and feet immaculate, 

 heavily feathered ; bill and claws black ; iris yellow. Adult female : Similar to 

 male, but much more heavily barred with brownish black, only face, fore breast 

 and feet unmarked ; top of head and hind neck spotted with dusky. Length 

 20.00-27.00 (5o8.-685.8) ; wing 15.50-18.75 (393.7-476.3) ; tail 9.00-10.50 (228.6- 

 266.7) ; biU 1.10-1.40 (27.9-35.6). 



Recognition Marks. Large size (Brant size) ; snowy white with dusky 

 bars ; no ear-tufts. 



Nesting. Does not breed in Ohio. Nest, on the ground. Eggs, 3-10, white. 

 Av. size, 2.24 x 1.77 (56.9 x 45.). 



General Range. Northern portions of the Northern Hemisphere. In 

 North America breeding wholly north of the United States ; in winter migrating 

 south to the Middle States, straggling to South Carolina, Texas, California, and 

 Bermuda. 



Range in Ohio. Formerly common ; now rare winter visitor in northern 

 Ohio. Casual elsewhere. 



DURING January and February of 1902 there occurred a remarkable 

 invasion by Snowy Owls, which was reported from localities as diverse as 



