64 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



M-liitisli, as in specimens from tlie Atlantic coast of tlic United States. 

 Tliese specimens cainiot, however, be considered as anytliing else than 

 merely local styles of tlie vuyiuiainis, var. Virginian us. 



Bubo virginianus, var. arcticus, Swains. 



WESTEBN OBEAT HOBNED OWL. 



f Slrh- wiiiiiicHlhii, r.MKi,. Syst. Nat. 1789, p. 290. titrij' (Bubo) nrclkii, .Swain.s. F. B. A. 

 II, 1831, 86. lleli(ipti:i- (iniiciis, Swains. Classif. IHnl.s, I, 18:!7, ;i2S ; In. II, 217. 

 /liilio virijiiiutitits Kir/icii.K, C'a.ss. liinls N. Am. 1858, 50 (/>'. rin/iiiiiiiius). — Hi.akis- 

 ToN, Ibis, HI, 1801, 320. Jiitbo riiyiniuiiKs, var. ((irliciin, CoiK.s, Key, 1872, 202. 

 Iliilid .siibtircHciis, Hov, P. A. X. S. VI, 1852, 211. Hiiho virijinianus pitcijkus, (,'ass. 

 lUiiLs Ciil. & Tex. 1854, iiml Hiiils X. Am. 1858 (/>. nnjiniiiiiiii, in jiart only). Subo 

 mniir/lanieiin, t'Ass. Birds Cal. & Tc.x. 1854, 178 (not 1). nwiirUankits of LlissoN !). 

 lUdio viniiiiiuiiiis, IIkkkm. 34. — Kknnkui.y, 20. — C'orKs, Prod. (P. A. N. S. 180(), 

 13). — Hi.AKi.snix, lliis, 111,1801,320. ! Wapuciitliii Owl, Pkx.nant, Aritir Zoiil. 

 231. — Lath. Syn. Supii. I, 49. 



CriAR. Pattern of coloration pi'pcist'Iy like that of viir. virtjiiiianiis, but the general 

 aspect much lifrlitor and more jrrayi.sh, caused b}' a frrcatcr prevalence of the lighter tints, 

 and contraction of dark pencilling.-;. The ochraccous nuieh lighter and less rnlbus. Face 

 soiled white, instead ol' deep dingy rufous. 



^ (No. 21,581, Camp Kootenay, Washington Territory, August 2, ISOO). AVing, 

 14.00; tail, 8.00; culuien, 1.10; tar.sus, 2.00. Tail and ]iriinaries each with the dark 

 bands nine in number ; legs and feet immaculate white. Wiug-fonnula, 3, 2 = 4 -.")-l. 



9 (No. 10,r)7I, Fort Tejon, California). Wing, 14.70; tail, 0.50; culmen. 1.10; tarsn.s, 

 2.10 ; middle toe. 2.00. Tail and primaries each with seven dark bands ; legs trimsversely 

 barred with dusky. Wing-foiiuula. 3, 4, 2 -.')- 1, 0. 



IIai!. Western region fif Nurth .\nierica, from the interior Arctic districts to the 

 tal lie-lands of Mexico. Wi.seonsiu (Hov); Northern Illinois (F'ekin, Mu.f. Cambridge) : 

 Lower California; ? Orizaba, Mexico. 



Localities: (?) Orizaba (Sci,. P. Z. S. 1800,253); Arizona (Con:s, P. A.N. S. 1800,4!)). 



Tlie above description covers the average characters of a liglit grayish 

 race of the />'. riri/inidiiu.'i, which represents the other styles in tlie whole 

 of the western and interior regions of the continent. Fartlier northward, in 

 the interior of the for countries, the plumage becomes lighter still, some 

 Arctic sj)ecimens being alnifist as white as the Xifcfrn i^arnifidCd. The />'. 

 (irrficits of Swainson w;is founded njion a specimen of this kind, and it is 

 our strong opinion that the Wapecuthu Owl of Pennant (.S^/^v'.'/ wapfcnihu, 

 Omel.) was nothing else tlian a similar individual, which had accidentally 

 lost the ear-tiift.s, since there is no other discre])ancy in the original descrip- 

 tion. The failure to mention ear-tufts, too, may have been merely a neglect 

 on the Jiart of the describer. 



