ZOOLOGY. 155 



SCOPS ASIO, Bon ap arte. 



The Alottled Owl ; tlic Screech Owl. 



Slrix asto, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, p. 132, (1766. ) 



Sirix noma, Gm. Syst. Nit. I, p. 289, (1788.) 



Scops asio, BONAp. Eur. and N. Am. Birds, p. 6. 



Scops asio, (Linn. ) Baibd & Cassin, Gen. Rep. Birds, p. 57. 



Figures. — Catesby's Nat. Hist. Carolina!, pi. 7 ; Vieill. Ois. d'Am. Sept. I, pi. 21 ; Temm. pi. col. 80 ; Wilson, Am. 

 Cm. pi. 19, eg. 1, pi. 42, fig. 1 ; Aud. B. of Am. pi. 97 : Oct. ed. I, pi. 40; Nat. Hist. New York, Birds, pi. 12, figs. 25, 26. 



Sp. Ch. — A small tufted owl. In adult the upper parts ashy broicn, with streakings and mottlings of brownish black and 

 of cinereous. Below ashy while, striped with black and barred with narrow War/i lines ; tail with about toi narrow cinereous bands. 



Younger: nearly all upper parts pale brownish red, paler and white below ; tail rufous, with brown bands. 



i^n^.- entirely barred with ashy white anipale brown ; wings and tail pale rufous. 



Length, in both sexes, 9J to 10 ; wing, 7 ; tail, 3J inches. 



A specimen of this owl, in the mottled plumage, was obtained by me at Fort Vancouver, W. 

 T.— S. 



OTUS WILSONIANUS, Lesson. 



The Long-eared Owl. 



Oto WHsonittnus, Lesson, Traite d'Orn. 1, p. 110, (1831.) 



Baibd and Cassin, Gen. Kep. Birds, p. 53. 

 Olus Atnericanus, Bonap. Comp. List, p. 7, (1838.) 

 Strix Americana, Gm. Syst. Nat. I, p. 288, (1788?) 

 Strix perigrinator, Barteam, Travels, p. 289, (1790?) 

 FiGtJEES.— Wilson, Am. Cm. VI, pi. 61, fig. 1 ; Aud. B. of Am., pi. 383 : oct. ed. I, pi. 37 ; Nat. Hist. New York, Birds, 

 pi. 11, fig. 24. 



Sp. Ch. — Ear tufts long, above mottled, a brownish black hue predominating, mixed with ashy ; breast pale fulvous, with 

 dark stripes and narrow bars ; eye nearly encircled with black ; rest of face ashy ; tail brown, with several irregular bands of 

 ashy fulvous, and mottled. 



Female: Length, 15 ; wing, 11 to 12J ; tail, 6 inches. Male rather smaller. 



No. 9143, (19,) John Day's river, Oregon Territory, November 12, 1853. Length, 14.50 ; extent, 38. Female. 



No. 8,243, (225,) 100 miles east of Fort Kearney, Nebraska, October 28, 1857. Length, 14.50; extent, 37.50; wing, 12. 

 Iris, yellow ; bill, bluish ; toes, gray. 



The long -eared owl I only obtained once, on the banks of the Columbia, east of the Dalles, 

 November, 1853. In the same desolate and barren region, where the only trees are a few 

 small willows along the banks of the river, several species of owls are found, which, apparently, 

 have deserted their favorite forests for the sake of the hares and mice abounding in some parts 

 of this region. The willows scarcely diminish the brightness of the sunlight, which strikes 

 down on them from morning to night. — C. 



I obtained a bird of this species in a dense thicket, on a small branch of Milk river, Nebraska. 

 I suppose that, owing to the scarcity of hollow trees in that vicinity, the umbrageous shelter 

 of thick brush is used as a substitute. The owl appeared stupid and sleepy, and allowed a very 

 near approach. — S. 



BRACHYOTUS CASSINII, B r e w e r . 



The Short-eared Owl. 



Brachyotm Cassinii, Brewer, Proc. Boston Soc. N. H. Baird and Cassin, Gen. Rep. Birds, p. 54. 

 Strix brachyotus, Fobster, Phil. Trans. London, LXJI, p. 384, (1772.) 

 Brachi/otus palustria americanus, Bonap. Consp. Av. p. 51, (1849.) 



