422 birds of illinois. 



Genus NYCTEA Stephens. 



Jft/ctea Stephens, Shaw's Gen. Zool. xiii, pt. ii, 1826, 63. Type, Strix ermenia Shaw.— 

 S. scavdiaca Linn. 

 Gen. Chab. Size very large, the head comparatively small. and without obvious ear- 

 tufts. Loral feathers very long, almost concealing the bill, and hair-like feathers of the 

 toes nearly hiding the claws. Lower tail-coverts extending quite to the tip of the tall. 

 Color of adults pure white, relieved by more or less numerous bars of slate-color. 



The genus Nyctea is closely related to Bubo, aud has been united 

 with the latter as a subgenus. They seem to be sufficiently dis- 

 tinct, however, as the following differential characters may serve to 

 show : 



Bubo. Two to three outer quills with their inner webs emarginated. Ear-tufts well 

 developed; loral feathers not hiding the bill, and the claws and terminal scutellte of the 

 toes exposed. Lower tail-coverts not reaching the end of the tail. 



Nyctea, Four outer quills with their inner webs emarginated. Ear-tutt.'i rudimen- 

 tary; loral feathers hiding the bill, and claws and entire toes concealed by long hair-like 

 feathers. Lower tail-coverts reaching to the end of the taiU 



Nyctea nyctea (Linn.) 



SNOWY OWL. 



Fopnlar synODTms, Great White Owl; Snow Owl; Ermine Owl. 



Strix nyctea Linn. S. N. ed. 10,1,1758,93.— Wn-s. Am. Orn. iv. 1812,53, pi. 32, flg. l.^Sw. & 

 Rich. F. B.-A. 11. 1831.88.— Nutt. Man. i, 1832, 116.— AuD. Orn. Biog. lv,1834.135; v, 1839, 

 pi. 121. 

 Surnianyclea Selet, 1833.— Aud. Synop. 1839,21; B. Am. i, mO,H3,pI. 28. 

 Strix scandiaca LiNN. S. N. ed. 12, i, 1760. 132. 

 Js'yctea scandiaca Newt. ed. Yarrell's Hist. Brit. B. ed. 4, ill. 1872, 1S7.— B. B. Si R. Hist. 

 N. Am. B. iii, 1874, 61 (var. scandiaca).— Bioaw. Norn. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 400.— 

 COUES. B. N. W. 1874,309; 2d Check List, 1882. No. 479. 

 Stria; arctica Bartr. Trav. 1791, 289 (Pennsylvania!. 



Kyctea scandiaca var. arctica B. B. & B. Hist, N. Am. B. iii, 1874, 61,70. 

 S(riX nirea THtJNB. Sv. Sk. Handling. 1798. 84. 

 iiyctea nivea Gray. 1844.— Cass, in Baird's B. N. Am. 1858, 63.— Baird, Cat N. Am. B. 

 lS59,No. 61.— Codes, Key, 1872. 275; Check List 1S74, No. 325. 

 . 8p. Char. Adult. Ground-color entirely snow-white, this marked with transverse 

 bars of clear dusky, of varying amount in different individuals. 



Mate (No. 12,059, Washington, D. C, December 4, 1858: C. Drexler): Across the top of 

 the head, and interspersed over the wings and scapulars, are small transversely cordate 

 spots ot clear brownish black, these inclining to the form of regular transverse bars on 

 the scapulars; there is but one on each feather. The secondaries have mottled bars of 

 more dilute dusky; the primaries have spots of black at their ends; the tail has a single 

 Beries of irregular dusky spots crossing it near the end. Abdomen, sides, .and flanks 

 with transverse crescentio bars of clear brownish black. Wing, 16.50; tail, 9.00; culmen, 

 1.00; tarsus, 1.90; middle too, 1.30. Wing formula. 3,2=4-5,1. 



Female (No. 12,058, Washington, D. C, December 4, 1858): Head above and nape with 

 each feather blackish centrally, producing a conspicuously spotted appearance. Rest of 

 the plumaee with regular, sharply defined transverse bars of clear brownish black ; 



