1 86 General Notes. \^k^^\ 



Occurrence of the Spotted Screech Owl (^Megascops aspersus) in 

 Arizona. — Mr. C. K. Worthen has sent me a pair of small Screech Owls 

 which were taken in the Huachuca Mountains, Arizona, the male by 

 Mr. R. Lusk August lo, 1891, the female (probably by the same collector) 

 June 20, 1895. Both birds are adults, the female being in slightly worn 

 breeding plumage while the n^^^ad nearly completed the midsummer 

 moult, excepting about the head where the leathers are old, faded and very 

 much worn. 



These birds do not belong to any form which is known to have been 

 hitherto found Avithin the United States, but on comparing them with 

 my type of Megascops aspersus^ (female. Chihuahua, Mexico, May 6, 

 1884), I find that they resemble it very closely in general color and mai-k- 

 ings as well as in the presence of a well-marked fringe of bristles on the 

 sides of the head. The ground coloring, however, is slightly grayer, 

 especially on the upper parts, and the dark markings are rather less coarse 

 and numerous. The Arizona birds are also smaller, the male having the 

 wing 5.18 inches in length and the female 5.27, whereas the wing of the 

 type measures 5.66 inches. These peculiarities may prove to be charac- 

 teristic of all the birds which inhabit the Huachuca range, but for the 

 present, at least, it seems safest to regard them as representing mere 

 individual variation and to refer the Arizona specimens to M. aspersus 

 which, as has been just implied, is quite new to our fauna. — William 

 Brew^STER, Cambridge, Mass. 



Great Gray Owl (^Scoiiaptex cinerea~) in Minnesota. — During the winter 

 of 1896-97 I secured not less than five specimens of this immense Owl 

 and know of one other capture, all in this (Aitkin) County. 



The winter just past, 1897-98, was not so cold, nor was there much 

 snow as in the previous winter ; in fact, it was a remarkably open winter, 

 with only occasional cold spells. This open season may account for the 

 scarcity of the Owl, for I secured but one and know of two others 

 captured. 



My friend, Mr. G. G. Cantwell, in his 'List of Birds of Minnesota* 

 (O. and O., Sept., 1890) records this species as a " rare winter visitor," 

 but it may be seen from my records that this Owl may be considered as a 

 fairly common winter visitor, at least in the wooded parts of the central 

 and northern sections of the State. 



It is interesting to note how small a body this species has in proportion 

 to its length of body and extent of wing, compared with other large Owls, 

 as may be seen by the following data, from a series of four specimens in 

 my collection : 



1 Originally described in 'The Auk,' Vol. V, No. i, January, 1888, pp. 87 

 and 88 and figured in Vol. VIII, No. 4, October, 1891, of the same journal. 



