AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



271 



Owls halving elongated ear tufts. 



No. 367, Short-eared Owl, {Asio accipitrinus.) 



Length about 17 in. Entire plumage varying from a 

 bright tawny to a buffy white, streaked above and 

 below with dark brown. A broad black stripe entire- 

 ly encircles the eyes. Ear tufts small. Found through- 

 out North America. Breeds from the middle section 

 northwards. 



No. 366, American Long-eared Owl, (c^s/o 

 wilsonianus.) 



Length about 15 inches. Ear tufts very con- 

 spicuous. Abi)ve dusky, mottled with tawny, gray 

 and black. The facial dis: is inclined to a bright 

 chestnut color. Under parts grayish white, streaked, 

 mottled and barred with black and tawny. Found 

 throughout temperate North America. Breeds where- 

 ever found. 



No. 375, Great Horned Owl, (Bubo Virginia- 

 nus. 



Length from 20 to 25 inches. This owl is very 

 large, strong and heavy. The ear tufts are very con- 

 spicuous. Plumage of the upper parts irregularly 

 variegated with zigzag lines of black, tawny and 

 whitish. Tail mottled grayish white, and crossed by a 

 number of dusky bands. Under parts whitish, washed 

 with tawny and barred closely with black. Facial disc 

 tawny and edged with black. A large white patch on 

 upper breast and throat. The typical species is found 

 in North America east of the Mississippi. The same 

 bird is found in different phases throughout the coun- 

 try and is subdivided as follows: — 375a Western (Bubo 

 virginianus subarcticus.) This is a somewhat paler 

 bird and is found from the Great Plains westwards 

 and south to Mexico. 375b Arctic (Bubo virginianus 

 arcticus) is found in the interior of Canada and in the 

 middle of the northern tier of states. It lacks the 

 tawny color entirely and is marked with black and 

 white. 375c Dusky (Bubo virginianus saturatus) is 

 found along the Pacific coast from Alaska to the Mexi- 

 can border and is the darkest variety and shows little 

 tawny. 



