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376. Nyctea nyctea (Linn.). [406.] Snowy Owl. 
A great wanderer in winter, visiting the United States, and appear- 
ing without any regularity in all of the northern tier of States, and 
southward into Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois, and has been taken even 
in Texas. It seems to have been less common than usual in the winter 
of 1883-84, though Mr. Lindley, at Mitchell, Iowa, had the good fortune 
to see nine. At Linwood, Nebr., the last seen in 1884 was noted Feb- 
ruary 1, but at Heron Lake, Minn., one was seen as late as April 3. The 
winter of 1876-77 was noted for the great numbers of Snowy Owls 
which migrated into the United States. They came November 22, 1876, 
and for two weeks afterwards were common as far south as Saint Louis. 
At Omaha and Denver they were specially abundant. One taxidermist 
in the East had thirty Snowy Owls sent him from this single flight. 
In the spring of 1885 a Snowy Owl was seen dt Clinton, Wis., Feb- 
ruary 23, and at Huron, Dak., March 7. In the fall of 1885 the first 
came to Elk River, Minn., October 23. At Chicago, IIl., one was seen in 
the city November 3. A magnificent specimen, almost pure white, was 
shot at Chrisman, Il, the latter part of January, 1886. 
377a. Surnia ulula caparoch (Miill.}. [407.] Hawk Owl. 
The Hawk Owl visits the upper Mississippi Valley in winter. It has 
been taken in winter in Minnesota and Wisconsin, and once in northern 
Illinois. Occasionally in severe winters it has been found in the East as 
far south as Pennsylvania. It is therefore the more strange that one 
should be found so far south as Mississippi. Dr. Rawlings Young, of 
Corinth, Miss., writes: “‘In January, 1882, I was shooting quail over 
a brace of setters in a thick sedge grass 300 or 400 yards from the 
timber, and while working up a scattered bevy the dogs pointed. 
Walking in, a Hawk Owl, much to my astonishment, got up from the 
grass right under the dogs’ noses. As he went off I cut him down, and 
had no trouble in identifying him from the cuts seen in Wilson.” 
In the fall of 1884 a Hawk Owl was reported from Elk River, Minn., 
October 27. At Mount Carmel, Mo., the first was seen December 26. 
In January, 1885, about a dozen were reported as wintering at Elk 
River, Minn. In the spring of 1885, at Mount Carmel, Mo., the last was 
seen March 10. In the fall of 1885 the first returned to Elk River, Minn., 
October 23. 
378. Speotyto cunicularia hypogeea (Bonap.). [408.] Burrowing Owl. 
Wherever prairie dogs exist Burrowing Owls are also very likely to 
be found, so that their range may be said to include most of the open 
prairie ground west of the Mississippi river. They are especially 
abundant in western Nebraska, middle and western Kansas, and In- 
dian Territory ; and as I write from Red Rock, in that Territory, I can 
look out on a dog town several miles in extent, in which the Burrowing 
Owls are usually numerous. Even as far east as Waverly, Miss., Major 
Young writes that they were formerly quite common, but have not been 
