194 NESTS AND EGGS OF 



of this Owl in February, which were deposited on a solid cake of ice 

 in a cavity or in the open nest ; he states that of late years full clutches 

 of eggs are deposited by the last of March. The usual time of nest- 

 ing in Iowa is March and April. The same nesting place is occupied 

 by the birds for years, even after being robbed many times. 



The eggs are two or three in number, very rarely four ; globular, 

 white. Between the eggs of this species and those of the Great Horned 

 Owl there is commonly considerable difference in dimensions in favor 

 of the former, but sometimes they approach each other so closely that 

 to identify them by size alone is impossible. The Barred Owls' eggs 

 measure in long diameter from 1.87 to 2.20, and in short diameter from 

 1.50 to 1.75. 



368«. Syrnium nebulosum alleni Ridgw. [397a.] 



Florida, Ba,rred O-vrl. 



Hab. Florida, Texas, Louisiana and adjoining regions. 



A darker colored race found in Florida, Texas, etc. Mr. Singley 

 states this is the commonest owl in Lee county, Texas, where it fre- 

 quents almost exclusively the thick wooded bottom lands. He found 

 seventeen nests in hollows of trees with eggs or young, and the num- 

 ber in each was invariably two. The sizes of a set of two eggs taken 

 March 20, 1885, now in Mr. Norris' collection, are 1.89x1.58, i.86x 

 1.61 ; six other specimens measure 1.97x1.78, 1.90x1.61, 1.88x1.67, 

 1.89x1.60, 1.81XI.54, 1.87x1.63. The eggs are subspherical, pure 

 white, smooth, without granulations.* 



369. Syrnium occidentale Xantus. [398.] 



Spotted O-wrl. 



Hab. Southwestern United States, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Lower California and Mexico. 



By no means a common bird and comparatively little is known 

 concerning its life history. The Western Barred Owl was first de- 

 scribed in 1859 from a specimen which remained unique in collections 

 until Captain Bendire rediscovered it in Arizona in the spring of 1872. 

 A nest was found April 17, which appeared to have been built by the 

 birds themselves, and was placed about thirty feet from the ground ; 

 composed of small sticks and twigs, lined with grasses, bark and a few 

 feathers. It contained one white globular egg. Professor Ridgway 

 gives the size of an egg as 2.05x1.80. Mr. Norris has a set of two 

 eggs collected by E. M. Haight, near Riverside, California, May 19, 

 1885. They measure 2.11x1.67, 2.12x1.68; they were laid on the 

 bare ground at the base of a large rock. 



370. Ulula cinerea (Gmel.) [399.] 



Great Gray O-wl. 



Hab. Arctic America, south in winter to the northern border of the United States. 



An immense owl — one of the largest in North America, — round- 



'■' Ornithologist and Oologist, XI, pp. I40-14L 



