MOUTH AMl!;iiWAi\ BilWS. 243 



ing, the greater portion of the eggs are deposited in the latter part of February or the 

 first part of March; at least more eggs have been collected at that time than at any 

 other period; and these dates will apply to the nesting of all other forms of this 

 Owl. Deep woods are its favorite haunts while breeding, where its bulky nests of 

 sticks, hark, leaves, etc., may be found in the branches of trees ranging from twenty 

 to one hundred feet from the ground, or the eggs may be deposited in a natural 

 cavity of a tree. The deserted nests of crows or those of hawks are appropriated^ 

 the nests of the Red-tail, Red-shouldered and Cooper's Hawks being common re- 

 ceptacles. In Florida and some other sections the nests of the Bald Eagle, Osprey 

 and Caracara Eagle are frequently taken possession of by this Owl, and the same 

 pair of birds will occupy a nest for successive years, even after being annually mo- 

 lested and robbed. A rap on the trunk of the tree will generally cause the birds to 

 leave the nest. Besides thematerial already mentioned, the eavities.will often contain 

 weed-stems, corn stalks, corn-silk and feathers from the breasts of thempther bird, and 

 again the eggs will be found laid upon the bare ground or decayed wood of the 

 cavity in the presence of a few bones and skulls of animals. This Owl deposits two 

 or three white, globular eggs.* Five sets of two eggs each are in my cabinet from 

 Florida, Indiana, Iowa and Ohio; the ten specimens measure, 2.18x1.72, 2.20x1.78, 

 2;24xl.80, 2.26x1.88, 2.26x1.79, 2.29x1.82, 2.31x1.88, 2.30x1.89, 2.28x1.74, 2.32x1.80. The 

 average measurements of thirty eggs in Mr. Crandall's collection is 2.26x1.87. This 

 is d. series containing ten sets of three eggs each and four sets of two. / 1 



375o. WESTERlir HOKNED OWL. Bubo virffiniaiius Suharcticus i'Hoy.) 

 Geog. Dist. — Western United States, from the Great Plains westward (except the 

 northwestern . coast) ;' east casually to Illinois, Wisconsin and ' western portion of 

 Canada, north to Manitoba, south to Mexican table lands. 



A lighter colored form inhabiting Western United States. Its nesting, eggs an4 

 other characteristics are the same as those of B. virginianvs. Four eggs iii my col- 

 lection from Riverside, Cal., taken in March, 1884, measure 2.16x1.78, 2.20x1.74^ 

 2.25x1.76, 2.16x1.78. 



3756. ABCTIC HOBITEI) OWL. Bubo viffflnianus arcticus (Swains.) Geog. 

 Dist. — Chiefly the Interior of Arctic America (Fur Countries), south in winter to th» 

 Northern Rocky Mountains and Great Plains; Dakota, Montana and Wyoming. 



This bird's general plumage is whitish through the fading of the ground color 

 and restriction of the dark markings; beneath pure white, with dark marklnga. 

 Prof. Rldgway gives the average size of the eggs as 2.19x1.91, 



375c>. PACIFIC HOBNED OWX. Bubo virginianus paciflcus Cassin. Oeog. 

 Dist.— Southern California. 



The exact range of this subspecies is not known. 



• In exceptional cases four eggs have been taken from a singrle nest, but I am not 

 aware of an authentic set of five eggs or the extreme number of six of the Eastern Horned 

 Owl as has been reported of S. v. Suiaretim in Colorado. I have In seyeral Instances 

 received sets of four eggs of S, virgSnianm, ,- 



