GREAT HOENED OWL. 407 



white, and measure 1.80 by 1.25. They are deposited in nooks of build- 

 ings or crevices of rocks, sometimes in burrows in bluffs. No attempt is 

 made toward the construction of a, nest. 



Genus BUBO. Cnvier. 



Size large. Ear tafts large and prominent. Eyes large. Facial diaoa eomplete. Ears 

 not operculate. Tarsi and toes densely feathered, claws very strong. 



Bubo vieginianus (Gm.) Bp. 



Grreat Homed Owl- 



Strix virginianus, Wilson, Am. Orn. vi, 1812, 52.— Kirtxand, Oiiio Geolog. Snrv,, 1838, 161 

 179.— Rbad, Fam. Visitor, iii, 1853, 303 ; Proo. Phil*. Acad. Nat. Sci., vi, 1853, 395. 



Buho virginianus, Kirkpatrick, Ohio Farmer, viii, H^59, 35; Ohio Agric. Rep. for 1858, 

 1859, 375.— Whkaton, Ohio Agrio. Rep. for 1860, 1861, 361; Reprint, 8; Food of 

 Birds, etc., Ohio Agrio. Rep. for 1874, 1875, 570, Reprint, 10.— Langdoh, Cat. Birds 

 of Gin., 1877, 12 ; Revised List, Jonrn. Gin. Soo. Nat. Hist., i, 1879, 179 ; Reprint, 13. 



Strix virginianus, Gmblin, Syst. Nat., i, 1788, 287. 

 Bubo virginianus, Bonaparte, List, 1838, 6. 



Distingaished by its large size, in connection ■with'he conspicions ear tufts ; the other 

 species of similar dimensions are tuftless. The plnmage varies interminably, and no 

 concise description will meet all its phases ; it is a variegation of blackish, with <lark 

 and light-brown, and fulvous. A white collar is the most constant color mark. Length 

 abont Si feet ; wing, 14-16 inches ; tail, 9-10. 



Habitat, the Western Hemisphere. Common and generally distributed in wooded 

 regions in the United States. 



Common resident. Breeds. This is the largest of all the Owls with 

 ear tufts, and perhaps the only one of sufficient size and abundance to 

 cause much damage by its depredations upon hen-roosts. It frequents 

 most especially deep woods and swamps, and may frequently be seen flying 

 or perching in day time, when it sees tolerably well. On such occasions 

 it is uusally attended by an unfriendly escort of Crows, Jays and smaller 

 birds, who pester it relentlessly. 



Sometimes it is taken in traps set for itself or other wild animals, and 

 when wounded, fights fiercely both with bill and claws ; even the snap- 

 ping of its bill is sufiBcient to induce caution on the part of those ap- 

 proaching. 



The food of the Great Horned Owl consists of small quadrupeds such as 

 rats, mice, squirrels and occasionally rabbits, birds, reptiles and fish. 



The nest is placed either in the fork of a high tree or in a cavity. 

 Sometimes they occupy the deserted nest of a hawk. The eggs are two, 

 dull,white, nearly"spherical, and measure 2.30 by 2.00. 



