Widmann — A Preliminary Catalog of the Birds of Missouri. 107 



met with a flock of fifty in the fall of 1905 near Appleton City, 

 and smaller troops are not unusual on the marshes of the Missis- 

 sippi flood plain north of the Missouri River. 



*368 Syrnium varium (Barton). Barred Owl. 



Strix nebulosa. Syrnium nebuloswm. Ulula nebulosa. Hoot Owl. 



Geog. Dist. — Eastern United States and southern provinces of 

 Canada from Nova Scotia to Winnepeg; south to northern 

 Texas, being replaced in the Gulf and South Atlantic States by 

 the subspecies alleni. Breeds throughout its range, and is non- 

 migratory except in the most northern part of its range. 



In Missouri, in spite of all persecution, still a fairly common 

 resident in all portions of the state, mainly in the heavy timber 

 of the river bottoms, where there are natural cavities in tall trees, 

 particularly sycamores, in which it can hide and nest. Unlike 

 all other owls, it is often heard to hoot and laugh during the day- 

 time, betraying its whereabouts to the hunter, who deems it 

 his duty to go for it and try to kill it. With all other owls, 

 except the Great Horned Owl, the Hoot Owl is now protected 

 by the new game law of Missouri, but as long as the population 

 is not educated enough to understand and appreciate such a law, 

 and as long as the newspapers do next to nothing in informing 

 and instructing their 1 readers in regard to bird protection, no 

 law will save the owls and hawks from being killed whenever 

 opportunity offers. The slow process of elucidation through 

 Nature study in the schools is the only hope that in course of 

 time bird protection laws will receive that measure of sympathy 

 which is necessary for their enforcement. 



[370. Scotiaptex nebulosa (Forster). Great Gray Owl.] 



Strix cinerea. Scotiaptex cinerea. Syrnium cinereum. Syrnium lapponi- 

 cum var. cinereum. 



Geog. Dist. — The wooded districts of northern North America 

 from Lake Superior and Hudson Bay to the Pacific, and north 

 to the arctic circle and through Alaska to Behring Straits. In 

 winter irregularly to northern border of United States, casually 

 as far south as New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, 

 Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Wyoming, California. 



Though at present no record is on hand, this interesting bird 

 may come occasionally as far south as Missouri, as it was taken 

 once near Omaha, Neb., December 12, 1893, and in some winters 



