THE NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY. 103 



"Abundant on the prairies. It flies much by day. It has been 

 said to nest in bushes ; but I have always found it nesting on 

 the ground." Mr. E. W. Nelson says: "The most abundant 

 species of the family. Arrives from the north in large numbers 

 the first of November and disperses through the state. They are 

 common everywhere, on prairies and marshes, during the winter. 

 Remain concealed in a bunch of grass or reeds until about two 

 o'clock, P. M., when they commence flying low over the ground 

 in search of their prey." 



Its range covers the whole of North America, and it is nearly 

 cosmopolitan. It breeds from about latitude 39 norduvard. 



Genus SYRNIUM Savigny, 1809. 



Syrnium varium (Barton). Barred Owl. 



Strix nebulosa FORSTEB,* of authors, not of Forster. 

 Strix -varius BARTON, Fragm. N. H. Penn., 1790, 11. 

 Syrnium rarium PREBLE, N. Amer. Fauna, No. 22, 1902, 109. 

 Popular synonym : HOOT OWL. 



The Barred Owl has become an uncommon resident. From 

 the year 1887 to the year 1892 this species was fairly common 

 on the timbered ridge at Beverly Hills, and also in the woods 

 west of Evanston and Lake Forest. In the fatter woods Mr. 

 Ned Pratt obtained several sets of eggs. Since the building of 

 the small suburban towns in the vicinity of Chicago, the Barred 

 Owls have gone to the heavier wooded portions of the state, 

 very few having been seen within our limits since the year 1892. 

 Mr. E. W. Nelson found this Owl rare in this vicinity, "owing to 

 the lack of heavy timber." He only knew of two instances of 

 its capture. 



Its range covers North America, east of the Great Plains 

 from Hudson Bay southward to Georgia and Texas. It breeds 

 throughout its range. 



Genus SCOTIAPTEX Swainson, 1837. 



Scotiaptex nebulosa (Forster). Great Gray Owl. 



Strix nebulosa FORSTER, Philos, Trans., LXII, 1772, 424. 



Strix cincrca GMELIN. S. N.. I. i. 1788, 291. 



Scotia ptcx cincrca SWAIXSON, Classification B., II, 1837, 217. 



Syrnium cincrcum BONAPARTE, List, 1838, 6. 



Scotiaptex nebulosum PREBLE, N. Amer. Fauna, No. 22, 1902, 109. 



Popular synonyms : GREAT CINEREOUS OWL. SPECTRAL OWL. 



*' 'Strix nebulosa Forster plainly having been based on the great gray owl, the 

 name Strix varius Barton seems to be the next name available for the Barred Owl." 

 Preble, N. Amer. Fauna. No. 22, 1902, 109. 



