70 NcmTir amkrican mirds. 



Nyctea scandiaca, \iir. arctica, Gkay. 



AMERICAN 8N0WT OWL. 



.SlrUarcliid, ll.MiTiiAM, Tniv. in CmoliiM, ITiii.', p. -">.'>. Slrl.f iii/itia, (not of I,inx.:) Vikm.i,. 

 Ois. Am. Si'pt. Isii;, |,1. xviii. Swains. K lln ii. V. U. A. II, iHiil, ss. Munai'. 

 Anil. X. Y. l.y..'. II, at!. -- Wii.s. Am. Orii. \i]. xxxii, 1'. 1. Aiii. Minis .\ni. ))!. cxxi. 

 . - - 111. (»rii. liiog. II, Kii'i. — TlliiMl's. Nat. Hist. Vcriiinnl, |i, t>l. - I'kaii. ItiidsMass. ' 

 III, S4. Surniii xi/rl'd ( KuMnMisr. ), ,Ia.mi;s. (id. Wii.s.), Am. (»rii. I, ls;!l, !)-2. — 

 Nl-rr. .Man. ]i. Hli. — Kaii', 'I'l. /.i.ol. .S.h'. IV, ISJSl, -214. Siiniin nin-lnt (Tiln.Mi's.^, 

 .Iai:iiini;'s (cil. W'li.s.) .\iii. Orn. II, l>;i-J, It!. A>/ii( niira, ((Iiiay) Cass, liinls Cal. k 

 'I'cx. Isni, liiO. - 111. liiiils N. .\m. 1,>S.')S, i;a. XK.wids, 1'. 'A. .S. l.sill, ;iii4 (I'^'-js). — 

 l)l!r..s.si:ii, llii.s, ISO.'), y.iti ^'IVxas l). Dai.i, & ISanslsti-.h, Tr. CliiiaH" Acail. I, ii, 

 IStii), -273 (Alaska). -t'dll.s, Key, lcS7'-', lin,"). .V/Mk lamlidu, (I.AIII.) KoNAl'. list, 

 lt>:is, Ii. 



Si'. C'liAii. Adult, (ironinl-i'nlor cnlii-cly snow-wliilc, lliis iniirkuil with ti-aiisvorse 

 bnrs <il' clc'iir diislvv, of vai\ iii;^- aiiiimul in iliMVMciit imliviiliials. 



^ (Xo. 12,0.j0, Wasliiii,ul..n. I). C, DrcialMT I, ls,-,S; ('. Dicxlci). Afi'os.s ilie to)) 

 of tiiu iicatl, .Till] iuti'rsinT.scd nvrr lliu wiiii^s aiid scainilars, arc siiiall traiisvoi-sidy cordate 

 sijiols of clear lirowiiisli-lilack, liii'sc iiicliiiiii;.' to llic form of rcu'iiltir transver.se liaivs on 

 the scapiilar.s ; there is Iml mie dii |.ach li'alhcr. Tiie sei'Oiiilaries have iiiol lied liars of 

 iiii>re (lihite dusky ; the |iiiiiiaiies have spots of Mack al liieir ciid.s; tlic (ail has a siiejle 

 iSeries of irrejrular dusky .s)iot.s erijssiiii;' it near tin.' end. Alidonien, sides, and Hanks 

 with transverse eresceiitic liars of clear lirowiiish-lihick. Winu:, Ki.otI; tail, D.tlO; eiil- 

 luen, l.iiii; tarsus, l.!)0; iiiidille toe, l.:!(). \ViiiL;-lorniula, I!, 'J = 4 - 5, 1. 



9 (No. Ili,(l."i8, Wa.-;hiii,L:'Miii, I). C, Deceinher i, 1S.")S). Head above ami nape with 

 each H'uther Mackisli centrally, prodiicinfT a conspiciiou.sly spoiled apiiearauee. Rest of 

 the jihimairu with reirnlar, sharply defineil transver.se liars of clear brownish-lilack ; those 

 of the upper surOiee inore eresceiilie, those on the lower tail-coverts narrower and iiioic 

 distant. Tail crossed by live bands, c()]iip(i..;L'd of tlelacheil transverse spots. Only the 

 face, forciieck, middle of the lireast, and feet, are immaculate ; evi'rywliere cist', cxccjit- 

 in^' on the crissmn. the tlusky and white are in nearly equal amount. ^\ ing, lt<.(IO ; tail, 

 y.80; eiiliuen, l.Ut. Wiii,L:--liiniiuia, :i == 1, U-1 -=•"., 



Yiiiiiiij (Xo. oil, 11)4, Arctic Americ'a, Ani,'usl, lS(;;j ; .^^acFarlano). Only [lartially 

 feathered. Wiii;_'s and tail us in the adult female ilescribeil. but the blackisli bars rather 

 broader. Down coverinj,' the head and Imdy dark brownisli or sooty slate, becoming 

 paler on the lci;s. 



IIab. Xorthcrn portions of tlie Xearclie Realm. lircediiiL:' in the arctic and sub- 

 arctic regions, and miLnatiiiL;' in winter to tlie vcrLrc ol' the tropics. Bermuda (Jaishlvi;) ; 

 South Carolina (Raiituam and AniiiioN) ; Texas (]li!i:ssi:i!). 

 Localities: Te.\n.s, San Anlonio (Di;i:.ssi:i!, Fliis, b-^li."), ;'.:!(>). 



The Snowy Owls oi' Xortli Aiueiicn, tliiiii,i,'li viiiyiiio; givatly ainouo- tlioin- 

 selve.s, .seem to be coiisideralily duiker, liotli in the c.xtfcnie.s tind average 

 conditions of jihunaot;, than Etirniifan examples. Xot only are the dii.sky 

 bars darker, but they tire iisiiiilly liroader, and more e.xtended over the 

 general stirlace. 



Habits. This-: is an exclusively northern .species, and is chielly confined 

 t,o the Arctic Circlt; and the adjacent [)ortioiis of the temperate zone. It is 

 met with in the United States oidy in midwinter, and is nmcli more ubun- 



