BIRDS OF KANSAS. 307 



Nyctea nyctea (Lixx.). 

 SNOWY OWL. 



PLATE XXI. 



Winter resident; rather irregular; at times quite common. 

 Begin to arrive as early as the first of November, usually re- 

 turning by the first of February. 



B. 61. R. 406. C. 479. G. 188, 145. U. 376. 



HABITAT. The northern portion of the northern hemisphere; 

 migrating south in winter; in North America, as far as Texas 

 and South Carolina; accidental to the Bermudas. 



SP. CHAR. Adult male: Plumage pure white, sometimes almost immaculate, 

 but usually marked more or less with transverse spots or bars of clear slaty 

 brown on top of head, back and scapulars, the quills and tail feathers with 

 dusky spots near ends; lower parts usually marked more or less on belly, sides 

 and flanks with narrow bars of clear slaty brown, but these markings sometimes 

 altogether wanting. Adult female: Much darker colored than male, only the 

 face, foreneck, middle of breast and feet being immaculate, other portions being 

 heavily barred with dusky, the top of the head and hindneck spotted with the 

 same. Downy young: Uniform dusky brown, or deep sooty grayish, paler on 

 feet and legs. (Bidgway.) 



Stretch of Bill and 



Length. wing. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. Cere. 



Male 22.00 58.00 15.50 9.25 1.80 1.50 



Female... 24.00 61.50 17.30 10.00 1.85 1.60 



Iris yellow; bill and claws horn blue, nearly black at tips. 



This large, handsome Owl hunts for its prey by day, as well 

 as at dusk, and does not appear to avoid the bright sunshine, 

 as it is often to be seen at such times perched upon a snow- 

 crowned knoll, where the glare of the sun to us would be painful. 



In flight they are very active, skimming along near the 

 ground, grasping in their claws the unlucky rabbit or Grouse in 

 their course. Their breeding habits are only known to those 

 who have been so fortunate as to meet with them in their north- 

 ern home. Mr. Nelson, in his "Keport of Natural History Col- 

 lection in Alaska," gives the following interesting account of 

 these birds: 



"From the Sitkan region north to the fartherest point of 

 that Territory the present bird keeps mainly to the more barren 

 portions of the coast and interior, and is always found less 

 numerous where trees are abundant. It occurs also upon tlie 



