BIRDS — NYCTEININAE — NYCTEA NIVEA. 63 



Sub-Family NYCTEININAE— T h e Day Owls. 



General form compact and robust. Head moderate, without ear tufts; wings and tail rather 

 long ; tarsi strong, which, with the toes, are more densely covered than in any other division 

 of this family. 



This division embraces two species only, which inhabit the arctic regions of both continents, 

 migrating southward in the winter. 



NYCTEA, Stephens. 



JA/ctea, Stephens, Cont. of Shaw'e Zool, XIII, p. 62, (1826.) 



Large ; head rather large, without ear tufls ; no facial disc ; leg3 rather ehort, and with the toes covered densely with long 

 hair-like feathers, nearly concealing the claws. Bill short, nearly concealed by projecting feathers, very strong ; wings long ; 

 tail moderate, or rather long, wide ; claws strong, fully curved. Contains one species only, 



NYCTEA NIYEA, Daudin. 



The Snowy Owl; The White Owl. 



Strix nivea, Daud. Traite d'Orn. II, p. 190, (1800.) 



Strix nyetea, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, p. 132, (1766.) 



Strix Candida, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp. p. 14, (1801.) 



Strix erminea, Shaw, Gen. Zool. VII, p. 251, (1809.) 



Strix arctica, Bartram, Travels, p. 289, (1791, but not of Sparrman, 1789.) 



Figures.— Wilson Am. Orn. IV, pi. 32, fig. X ; Aud. B. of Ani., pi. 121: oct. ed. I, pi. 28 ; Nat. Hist. New York, Birds, pi. 

 9, fig. 20 ; Gould B. of Eur. I, pi. 43 . 



Bill nearly concealed by projecting plumes ; eyes large. Entire plamage white, frequently with a few spots, or imperfect 

 bands, only on the upper parts, dark brown, and on the under parts, with a few irregular and imperfect bars of the same ; quills 

 and tail with a few spots or traces of bands of the same dark brown. The prevalence of the dark brown color varies much in 

 different specimens ; frequently both upper and under parts are very distinctly banded transversely, and sometimes this color 

 predominates on the back. Plumage of the legs and toes, pure snowy white ; bill and claws dark horn color ; irides yellow. 



Total length, 24 to 27 inches ; wing 16 to 17 ; tail 10 inches. 



Hob. — Northern regions of both continents, migrating southward in the winter. Resident in Canada, (Dr. A. Hall,) 

 Greenland, (HolboU,) South Carolina, Kentucky, (Audubon,) Bermuda, (Jardine.) Spec, in Nat. Mus. Washington, and 

 Mus. Acad, Philadelphia. 



The large size and white plumage of this owl render it a conspicuous species when met with 

 in the woods, or during its winter wanderings, and also when prepared for the museum. It is 

 an abundant species in the northern regions, and has been observed at the highest northern 

 latitude yet attained by voyagers. In the winter it migrates over nearly the whole of Europe 

 and North America, and is frequently to be met with in the Northern and Middle United States, 

 varying greatly in numbers in different years. According to Dr. A. Hall, of Montreal, Canada, 

 this fine species is resident in that province, making its nest on the ground. 



This bird presents considerable variety of plumage, according to the greater or less number 

 of the dark transverse bands which are present, to more or less extent, in the majority of 

 specimens, sometimes prevailing on the upper parts of the body. Frequently, however, these 

 bands are so few and indistinct that the bird is almost pure and snowy white, Audubon's plate 

 represents this owl unusually dark; Wilson's figure is, in plumage, more usually met with 

 and is more truthful. 



