258 SYRN1UM C1NEREUM. 



more than the people in the neighborhood, for she remained in the vicinity for some time, 

 committing considerable havoc by entering chicken coops and killing the occupants. 



The Barred Owls are very common in all sections where they can find woods of suffi- 

 cient extent to offer them shelter. They are numerous in all the Southern States but are 

 particularly abundant in Florida, .where they fairly swarm and I have started a dozen in a 

 morning's walk through a swamp. Although they seldom enter holes, they are fond of 

 dark, secluded localities from which they emerge only by night, seldom, if ever, volunta- 

 rily flying by day. They are quite unsuspicious in sections where they arc not disturbed 

 and I have often walked within a few yards of them; in fact, in Florida, during the even- 

 ing, they would often alight on the trees over our camp fire. 



The Barred Owls breed early in February in Florida but do not generally lay in Xr\v 

 England until the latter part of March. In the former named locality, the e^gs aro, I 

 think, placed in the cavity of some hollow stub in cypress swamps but in New England, 

 they either remodel old nests of Crows or Hawks or construct a domicile for themselves. 

 The Barred Owls are not generally migratory, as the term is usually applied, but in the 

 Nor{,h, are inclined to wander somewhat during winter. 



SYRNIUM CINERETJM. 

 Great Gray Owl. 



Syrnium cinereum GH., Syst. Nat., I; 1788, 291. 



DESCRIPTION. . 



Sp. Cn. Form, robust. Size, very large. Sternum, stout. The marginal indentations are quite deep. Tongue, thick 

 and fleshy, horny at the tip which is rounded and slightly bifid. 



COLOR. Adult. Above, including rump and upper tail coverts, sooty-brown, mottled and transversely banded with 

 ashy-white. Wings and tail, dusky-brown, transversely banded with ashy-white. Under parts, including under wing and 

 tail coverts, ashy-white, longitudinally streaked with sooty-brown, the streakings being more numerous on the breast, 

 with transverse bands of the same color on the abdomen and under tail coverts. The face is grayish barred with dusky 

 and the eyes are nearly surrounded by a ring of the same dark color. 



Young. Similar to the adult but show inoreorless traces of reddish-brown above. Iris, yellow, bill, pale-yellow, cere, 

 greenish, claws, horn color, in all stages. Sexes, similar in color. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



This species may readily be distinguished from all others by its superior size, it being the largest Owl within our lim- 

 its, and by the color as described. Distributed, as a constant resident, throughout North America, north of the latitude of 

 Canada, migrating into New England in winter. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of male and female specimens. Length, 22-50; stretch, 54'00; wing, 18'CO; tail, 13'50; bill, T50; 

 tarsus, 2'50. Longest specimen, SO'OO; greatest extent of wing, 56'00; longest wing, 19'00; tail, 15'CO; bill, 1'75; tarsus, 

 3-00. Shortest specimen, 25-00; smallest extent of wing, 52-00; shortest wing, 17 00; tail, 12'00; bill, 1'25; tarsus, 2-00. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Nests, generally placed in high trees, composed of sticks, twigs, etc., and lined with feathers. They are usually bulky 

 structures. 



Kyys, three or four in number, rather oval in form, pure white in color, with the surface very smooth. Dimensions 

 from 1-75x2-00 to 1-78x2-85. 



