618 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



COLAPTES "HYBEIDUS" of Baird. 



All the Colaptes of the Upper Missouri, Yellowstone, and Milk Eiver 

 region appear to be of the hybrid race, in which there is every degree 

 of departure from the characters of typical auratus. The change be- 

 gins somewhere on the Middle Missouri, as low down, ItJmikj as Fort 

 Randall, and certainly as old Port Pierre. It is a point of interest that 

 this mongrel style overruns into the Saskatchewan region ; for, of two 

 specimens secured at the eastern base of the mountains, one had the 

 red quills and ash throat of mexicanus, and the cheek-patch mixed with 

 red, while the other was nearly pure auratus. 



BUBO YIRGIMANUS, {Gni.) Bp. 



Great Horned Owl. 



A pair of these Owls were observed at Pembina early in June, and 

 two unfledged young ones, evidently belonging to them, were found on 

 a fallen log in the timber-belt along the river. The nest was not dis- 

 covered, though supposed to be in the hollow of a blasted tree that stood 

 near. The old birds flew about apparently not in the least incommoded 

 by the daylight, but were too wary to be approached ; and though I 

 set a steel trap for them, upon the log where the young had been, they 

 did not put their foot in it. Tbe two young birds, one of which was 

 much larger than the other, and therefore supposed to be a female, were 

 brought alive to camp, and kept during the whole season. They made 

 more agreeable and amusing pets than birds of prey generally prove 

 to be, and the fun we had out of them repaid the trouble of carrying 

 them about. They became perfectly tame, would take food out of my 

 hands, or even alight on my shoulder ; and, after a while, when they were 

 full-grown and in good plumage, I used to release them and allow them 

 to forage for themselves during the night. They generally returned of 

 their own accord, but sometimes I had to send one of my men in search 

 of them ; in fact, the care of these Owls was the chief duty of a certain 

 member of the party during September. They began to hoot when 



