62 



NORTH AMERICA>r BIRDS. 



Bubo virginianus, 



var. 



virginianus, IIonai-. 



GREAT EOBNED OWL. 



ylsio bzibu firijinianiis, IJkiss. Oni. I, 484, 17, ITtiO. Stri.v virghiiinia, Omiu.. Syst. Nut. 

 I, 287, 1788.— Lath. Iiul. Oni. p. 52; Syii. I, 119; Siipj- I, 40; Gen. Hist. I, 

 304. — D.ui). Tf. Urn. 11,210, i.l. xiii. — AVii..s. Am. Oiii. j.l. 1, f. 1. — Uoxai'. 

 Ann. Lvf. N. Y. 1 1, ;i7 and 4;).'. ; Isis, 1832, p. 1139. — Afi). Wids Am. pi. l.\i, IS'Jl ; 

 Oni. llioj;. 1, 313. - Tiio.vr.s. Xiit. lli.st. Vcnnoiit, \A. l.w. — Pkaii. Hinls Mass. p. 87. 

 Bubo ririjiiiidiiiis, IJoxAr. List, p. G, 1838; t'oiisp. Av. p. 48. — .Iai;ii. (\Vii.s.)Am. 

 Orn. II, p. 257. — Dk Kay, Zoijl. N. Y. 11, 24, pi. x, f. 2. — Xrrr. Man. Oiii. p. 124. - 

 Max. Tal). .Tonr. 1853, VI, 23. — K-vur, Tr. Zoiil. Soo. IV, 185'.t, 241.- Cdir.s, Key, 

 l;'r2, 202. lliibi) virjiiiianus nthinliciis, Cass[N, IHrIs of Cal. & Tex. 1, 178, 1S,J4. 

 Binls N. Am. 18,'i8, V.Hmuhr K. vinjiiiiiiniix). (litis viiyiiiimnts, Stkimi. Zciiil. XII 1, ii, 

 57, 183(5. r/iila rmjiiiitiuii, Ja.MKs. (AVii.s. ), Am. din. 1, 100, 1831. SIrij- linjiniuiKi, 

 a, Lath. (ion. Hist. 1, 306, 1821. Sirij: bubo, S, Lath. Intl. Oin. p. 52, 1790. - 

 Shav.-, Zoiil. VI 1, 215. S/i-i.r 'iiiiLrinnis, Bakt. Tiav. Carol, p. 285, 1792. Jliibo hido- 

 cicidiius, Dacd. Tr. Orn. 11, 210, 1800. JSiibo jutiicola, Vii:ii,i.. Ois. Am. Sept. pi. xix, 

 1807 ; Kno. Mrtli. p. 1282. 



Sp. Char. Atlulf $ (12,(>.">7, rhila<k'lpliia ; C. Drcxler). Ra.M\s oC all tin- fcatlicr.s 

 ycllowi.sh-niliMi.s, tiiis partially oxpo.scd on \\w head above ami nape, along the .■;capiilars, 

 OH the niinp, ami sides of the l)i'east. On the upper .surface tlii.s is ovorlaid l>y a rather 

 coarse tran.svor.sc mottling of brownish-hlack upon a white ground, the former rather 

 jnedoiniiialiiig, particularly on the head and neck, where it Ibnns broad ragged loiigiln- 

 dinal stripe.s (i'hnost oliHterating the transverse bars), beeoniing prevalent, or blended, 

 anteriorly. The lower feathers of the .scapulars, ami some of the lower feathers of the 

 mi<ldle and secondary wing-coverts, with ineon.spicuoHs transver.se spots of white. On 

 the seeoiularies the mottling is fnier. iriving a grayi.sh aspect, and eros,s(>d with eight 



siiarply defined, but ineoil- 

 spicuous, bands of mottled 

 du.sky ; [irim.iry coverts with 

 the gromid-color very dark, 

 and erosso<l with three or foiu' 

 bands of plain blackish, the 

 last terminal, though fainter 

 than the rest; ground-color of 

 the j)rinnirics more yellowi.sh, 

 the mottling more delicate; 

 they are cros.sed by nine trans- 

 vci'se scries of quadrate dusky 

 spot.s. Till' ground-color of 

 the tail is |)ale ochr.ieeons 

 (transversely mottled with 

 dusky), becoming white at the 

 tip, crossed by .seven band.s 

 of mottled blackish, thc^so 

 abouteqnalling the light bamls 

 in width; on tin' middk- leath- 

 ers the bands are brokc.'ii and 



Biibn viriiiniamis. 



confuse 



It. ru.uiuiL' 



obli(|nely, or, in places, longitmlinally. Outer webs of ear-tufts pure 

 blac!: ; huier welis alumst wholly ochraceous ; eyebrows and lores white, thi' feathers 

 with lilack shafts; face dingy rufous; eye very narrowly encircled with wliiti.sh; a 



