BUBO. 13 



Bubo virginianm subarcticus, Allen, Bull. Am. Mus. N. H. v. p. 34"; Jouy, Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. 

 xvi. p. 787'°. 



Supra Bordide oervimis, fusco fasciatus et irregulariter irroratus ; capite summo nigricantiore, plumis auricular- 

 ibus elongatis et margine faciei postico nigris, loris et mento albidis : subtus albus, nigro frequenter trans- 

 fasciatus, gutture albo ad pectus nigro marginato ; alis griseo-fuscis, fasciis griseis fusco irroratis notatis ; 

 Cauda sordide cervina, fusco irrorata et fasciis fuscis notata ; tibiis cervino-albidis, fusco crebre fasciatis ; 

 subalaribus cervino-albis, nigro maculatis : rostro plumbeo, digitis plumosis. Long, tota circa 20'0, 

 alae 13"5, caudse 7'7, tarsi 2-5. (Descr. maris ex Duenas, Guatemala. Mus. nostr.) 



Hab. North America generally. — Mexico, Tamaulipas {Berlandier ^^), Hermosillo in 

 Sonora [Ferrari-Perez), San Diego (Bobinette^^), Ciudad in Durango (Forrer), 

 Sierra del Eosario, Ixtlan, Eancho el Zapote, La Venta del Astillero in Jalisco 

 (Dr. A. C. Buller, in mus. JRothschild), Hacienda de San Marcos in Jalisco ( W. Lloyd), 

 Guanajuato {JDuges'^'^), Guadalajara (Buges'^'^, Joui/^°), Volcan de Colima (W. 

 Lloyd), Valley of Mexico (Rerrera^^), Coajimalpa (Ferrari-Perez), Chapultepec, 

 Monte Alto, San Rafael, Angangueo, Orizaba ^o (Sumichrast ^% Vera Cruz (SalU *), 

 Oaxaca (Boucard ^), Cacoprieto ^\ Tehuantepec ^^ ^^ (Sumichrast), Buctzotz in 

 N. Yucatan (G. F. Gaumer), Merida (Schott ^) ; Guatemala (Constancia ''), Duenas, 

 San Gerouimo (0. S. & F. B. G.^); Nicaragua, Matagalpa (W. B. Bichardson) ; 

 Costa Rica, San Jose (Von Frantzius ^ ^^) ; Panama, Chitra (ArcS^). — South 

 America, Guiana, Ecuador. 



Though the Great Horned Owl of Western Mexico and the tablelands has been 

 separated as a rslce from the Eastern bird by recent American writers, our series shows 

 that there is practically no difference and that all are inseparable from the common 

 bird of the Eastern States of America, Bubo virginianus. The bird of the Western 

 United States has been called B. virginianus subarcticus, a name now said to apply to 

 the race called B. virginianus arcticus of Swainson, a northern bird remarkable for its 

 lighter greyer colour, with which none of our Mexican specimens agree. 



The range of B. virginianus throughout Mexico and Central America is probably 

 universal from the sea-level to a height of 7000 or 8000 feet in the mountains. We 

 constantly met with Owls of this species in Guatemala, and at certain seasons their 

 deep-toned cry might be heard nightly. A favourite locality frequented by them was 

 a wooded hill-side, skirting the plain of Duenas, not far from the village. Here they 

 lived amongst low trees which covered the slope except where a rocky precipice inter- 

 vened. The plumage of several birds obtained by us in Guatemala was strongly 

 tainted vdth the odour of the skunk, showing that these animals are attacked, if not 

 killed and eaten, by these powerful Owls. 



Captain Bendire ^^ and Dr. Fisher ^^ have recently given full accounts of this species 

 as observed in the United States, and the latter author gives an analysis of the food of 

 many dissected birds. Mammals of various sizes, including rats and mice, form the 

 chief portion, but birds of various softs are also eaten, including ducks and grouse. 

 Insects are also consumed, and, in one case, fish. 



