334 NATURAL HISTORY OF BIRDS. 



agree in having the uninflated cere more neai-ly as in the diurnal birds of prey, but 

 with the nostrils usually situated on the line between the cere and the bill, rarely en- 

 tirely in the cere, never entirely outside it. The legs, too, in a majority of the species, 

 are pretty well feathered, though the feet may be either perfectly bare, bristly, or 

 densely feathered. This last condition is exhibited in the highest perfection by the 

 hawk-owl and the snowy owl, species which are common to the Old and New Worlds, 

 and inhabit the extreme north of both continents. 



Surnia funerea^ the hawk-owl, so called in reference to its hawk-like appearance 

 and diurnal habits, is a circumpolar species, only found in the temperate zone in win- 

 ter. Fitted to withstand the severest cold, its southward movement even then most 

 probably depends on variation in its food supply rather than on temperature. Its 

 home is in the northernmost regions of America and Asia, and it is rarely seen in the 

 United States except in winter, though it is said to breed in some parts of Maine. It 

 has been taken as far south as New Jersey and Ohio, but ordinarily does not pass 

 south of Massachusetts. An abundant bird of Alaska, yet south of British America 

 it has not been met with west of the Rocky Mountains ; and at any season of the year 

 must be considered an extremely rare bird within the limits of the United States. 



Yet on rare occasions it appears along our northern border in considerable num- 

 bers, as was the case in October and November, 1884, when a "wave" of them inun- 

 dated northern New England to an extent without a parallel in the history of the 

 species. Hundreds of them were killed in the course of a few weeks, and they sud- 

 denly became as common as ' chicken-hawks ' in places where they had never before 

 been seen. Unlike most other owls, this species flies so much in the daytime that it is 

 not readily overlooked, and the fact that in summer it has not been noted in New 

 Brunswick, or even in most parts of Canada, shows that it is a decidedly northern 

 bird. In summer it is said to feed almost entirely on field-mice (Arvicolce) and 

 insects, and in winter on such birds and small mammals as can be found. It is usually 

 seen perched on the top of some small tree, whence it makes forays for any game 

 which shows itself. It seems to be entirely unmindful of sunlight, and probably does 

 most of its hunting during the day, though known to be active at twilight. Swift and 

 strong on the wing, it is unusually courageous, often even attacking a man in defence 

 of its nest. It is known to nest in hollow trees, and Mr. Dall found the eggs in 

 Alaska placed in the hollowed top of a birch stub some fifteen feet from the ground ; 

 yet it is said by Richardson, McFarlane, and others, to build a somewhat bulky nest 

 of sticks, grass, and moss in large trees. The eggs vary in number from four to 

 seven. The heavily feathered toes have already been mentioned, and so completely 

 muffled are they that they are frequently spoken of as ' paws.' The general plumage 

 of the hawk-owl is quite different from that of most owls, being much more com- 

 pact and firm, the feathers lacking in large measure the softness and fringed edgings 

 so characteristic of owls' plumage in general. The form, too, is slender and trim, the 

 wings and tail quite long, the facial disc quite imperfect, and the general appearance, 

 at rest or in action, decidedly hawk-like. The colors are umber-brown, black, and 

 white, the face and throat being entirely whitish, often bordered below and at sides 

 by a varying amount of black. The upper parts are variously spotted with white on 

 a brown ground, and the under parts closely barred from upper breast to tail with 

 reddish brown bars on a white ground. 



The hawk-owl of northern Asia and continental Europe is lighter colored than the 

 American bird, and is usually separated as a geographical race (idula). Dr. Brewer, 



