THE AMERICAN HAWK OWL. 387 



Southern Michigan and Long Island. They were especially abundant in 

 Ontario, and were much sought after for their plumage. According to Mr. 

 Ruthven Deane, "a Mr. Owens, taxidermist, living near Mooresville, Mid- 

 dlesex County, received and mounted twenty-two specimens during the 

 winter, and commented on the fact that thirteen years ago he prepared exactly 

 the same number, not having handled a single specimen in the interim." 

 Mr. Deane collected information of more than 430 of these Owls that were 

 killed during this one flight. 1 No specimens were reported for Ohio, but 

 it is altogether probable that the birds might have been found along the Lake 

 Erie shore at that time. 



"The home of the Snowy Owl is on the immense moss and lichen cov- 

 ered tundras of the boreal regions, where it leads an easy existence and 

 finds an abundant supply of food during the short Arctic summers. It hunts 

 its prey at all hours and subsists principally upon the lemming, and it is said 

 to be always abundant wherever these mammals are found in any numbers. 

 Small rodents are also caught, as well as Ptarmigan, Ducks, and other water 

 fowl, and even the Arctic hare, an animal fully as heavy again as these Owls, 

 is said to be successfully attacked and killed by them" (Bendire). 



No. 171. 



AMERICAN HAWK OWL. 



A. O. U. No. 3773. Surnia ulula caparoch (Miill.). 



Synonym. DAY OWL. 



Description. Adult : Without ear-tufts ; above dark grayish brown or fus- 

 cous, finely and heavily spotted with white on head and upper back; with larger 

 quadrate spots or bars of the same on middle back and wings; upper tail-coverts 

 distinctly, and tail indistinctly or brokenly, barred 1 with white; tail rounded, the 

 outer pair of feathers about an inch shorter than the central pair; a crescentic 

 patch behind the ear-coverts, another on the side of the neck behind, and one on the 

 upper throat, pure dark brown ; facial disk so far as indicated and chest, white ; 

 breast irregularly barred or streaked with fuscous on white ground, sometimes 

 almost solid fuscous ; remaining under parts closely and evenly barred with reddish 

 brown and white in about equal proportions : legs, fully feathered to the claws,tawny, 

 spotted, or lightly barred with light reddish brown; bill yellow. Length 14.50- 

 17.50 (368.3-444.5) ; wing 9.00 (228.6) ; tail 7.00 (177.8) ; bill .85 (21.6). 



Recognition Marks. Crow size ; small head, slender build ; strictly diurnal 

 habits ; general hawk-like appearance. 



Nesting. Does not breed in Ohio. Nest, of sticks, mosses, and feathers, in 

 coniferous trees, or in holes of decayed trees, or even on a rock or stump. Eggs, 

 3-7, white. Av. size, i. 53 x 1.24 (38.9 x 31.5). 



1 The Auk, Vol. XIX., pp. 271-283. 



