STRIGID.E — TIIK OWLS. 25 



case, lH't\v((Mi tlin Amoricim imd Huropcan liivds, dues not cor'-espond at all 

 to that l.ot\v(!uii till! two easily di.stiii,miislied races of Otas vabjans, iXj/rlulc 

 tengmulmi, Stirniu vhda, and Si/rniuni cincrciim. 



A siHicimen from Porto Hico (Xo. :V.I,(;4:!) is soniowliat rcniarkalde on 

 account of the prevalence of the dusky of the upper i)arts, the unusually 

 lew and narrow stripes of the same on the lower i)arts, the roundish ochra- 

 cpous spots on the wings, and in havin-,' the primaries barred to the base. 

 Should all other specimens from the same re,i,'ion agree in these characters, 

 they miglit ibrm a diagnosalile race. The plumage has an abnormal appear- 

 ance, however, and I much doubt whether others like it will ever be taken. 



Hahits. The Short-eared Owl appears to be distributed, in varying fre- 

 quency, throughout North America, more abundant in the Arctic regions 

 during the summer, and more fretjuently met with in the Unitetl States dur- 

 ing the winter months. Kicliardsou met with it throughout the fur coun- 

 tries as far to the north as the 67th ])arallel. I'rofessor Holbbll gives it iis a 

 biixl of (ireenland, and it was met with in considerable al)undance by .Mac- 

 Farlane in the Anderson IJiver district. j\Ir. Murray mentions a specimen 

 received from the wooded district between Hudson's Bay and Lake Winni- 

 peg. Captain Blakiston met with it on the coast of Hudson's Bay, and IMr. 

 Bernard Boss on the M.ackenzie Biver. 



Mr. 1 )resser speaks of it as common at times near San Antonio during 

 the winter months, keeping itself in the tall weeds and grass. It is given 

 by Dr. Uundlach as an occasional visitant of Cuba. 



Dr. Newberry met with it throughout Oregon and California, and found it 

 esjiecially common in the Klamath Basin. On the level meadow-like 

 ])rairies of the Upper Pitt Biver it was seen associating with the Marsh 

 Hawk in considerable numbers. It was generally concealed in the grass, 

 and rose as the party a])proached. He o,fterwards met with this bird on the 

 shores of Klamath Lake, and in the Des Chutes Basin, among grass and 

 sage-bushes, in those localities associated with the Burrowing Owl (A. hi/jm- 

 (jmi). In Washington Territory it was found by Dr. Cooper on the great 

 Spokane Plain, where, as elsewhere, it was commonly found in the long 

 grass during the day. In tall and winter it appeared in large numbers on 

 the low prairies of the coast, but was not gregarious. Though properly 

 nocturnal, it \\,is met with, hunting on cloudy days. Hying low over the 

 meadows, in the manner of the Marsh Hawk. He did not meet with it in 

 summer in the Territory. 



Dr. Heermaun found it abundant in the Suisun and Napa valleys of Cali- 

 fornia, in equal munbcrp with the SlrLc pratincohi. It sought shelter during 

 the day on the ground among the reeds, and, when startled from its hiding- 

 place, would Hy but a few yards and alight again upon the ground. It did 

 not seem wild or shy. He afterwards met with the same si)ecies on the 

 desert between the Tejon I'ass and the Mohave Biver, and again saw it on 

 the banks of the latter. Bichardson gives it as a summer visitant only in 



VOL. III. 4 



