BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 159 



GENUS SURNIA DUMEKIL. 

 Surnia ulula caparoch (MULL.). 



American Hawk Owl. 



DESCRIPTION. 



"General form rather long but robust; size medium ; head moderate, without ear 

 tufts ; facial disc obsolete ; legs rather short and densely feathered to toes ; winers 

 rather long ; first, four quills incised on inner webs ; tail long with its central feath- 

 ers about two inches longer than the outer. Upper parts fuliginous brown, with num- 

 erous partially concealed circular spots on the neck behind scapulars and wing- 

 coverts. Face grayish-white ; throat white with longitudinal stripes of dark brown; 

 a large brown spot on each side of breast ; other under parts with transverse lines 

 or stripes of pale ashy-brown ; quills and tail brown, with bands of white ; bill pale 

 yellowish ; iris yellow. Color of upper parts darker on head, and the white mark- 

 ings more or less numerous in different specimens." (Length 15 to 17| inches ; ex- 

 tent about 33 ; tail 7 or little less.) B. B. of N. A. 



Habitat. Arctic America, migrating in winter to the northern border of the United 

 States. Occasional in England. 



This curious bird partakes of the general appearance, and also the 

 habits, of both a hawk and an owl, and is said to be principally diurnal. 



Very rare and irregular winter visitor from the north. Joseph Krider 

 has a specimen captured some few years ago, near Philadelphia, in mid- 

 winter. 



Messrs. B. C. Wrenshall, Allegheny county, J. F. Kitcham, Bradford 

 county, and J. G. Bohn, report the capture of stragglers. 



ORDER COCCYGES. CUCKOOS. 



SUBORDER CUCULI. CUCKOOS. 

 FAMILY CUCULID-ffi. CUCKOOS, ANIS 



THE CUCKOOS. 



Two species of this family are found in Pennsylvania as summer residents. These, 

 the Black and Yellow-balled Cuckoos, can be recognized by the following characters: 

 Bill curved, black or yellow, and about as long as head. Tail, often graduated, with 

 spotted and long feathers ; loral feathers soft ; four toes arranged in pairs, the outer 

 versatile and directed somewhat laterally ; feet are weak ; chiefly arboreal in habits. 

 A specimen of the Ani (Crotophacja am, Linn.), a species which inhabits the West 

 Indies and eastern South America, was taken near Philadelphia, September, 1849. 



