376 LIFE HISTOEIBS OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



The eggs of the Flammulated Screech Owl are white, with a faint creamy 

 tint, and oval in shape. The shell is strong, finely granulated, and slightly 

 glossy. The average measurement of the five eggs in the U. S. National 

 Museum collection is 28.6 by 25 millimetres. 



The type specimen, No. 17199, figured on PI. 12, Fig. 15, was taken by 

 Mr. Charles A. Aiken, in Wet Mountain Valley, Fremont County, Colorado, 

 June 15, 1875. 



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132. Megascops flammeolus idahoensis, Mekriam. 



DWARF SCREECH OWL. 



Megascops flammeolus idahoensis Merriam, in North American Fauna, No. 5, 1891, 

 p. 96. 



(B — , — , R — , — , U 374a.) 



Geographical range : Mountains of central Idaho. 



The type of this new subspecies, an adult male, and as far as known the 

 smallest of our Screech Owls, was obtained in the Big Wood River Mountains, 

 near Ketchum, Alturas County, Idaho, on September 22, 1890, during a bio- 

 logical survey of that portion of the State, made under the direction of Dr. C. 

 Hart Merriam, in charge of the Division of Ornithology and Mammalogy, U. S. 

 Department of Agriculture. It was found among the straggling pine timber on 

 the hills bordering Big Wood River. 



It is a slightly smaller bird than the Flammulated Screech Owl and much 

 lighter colored. The dark markings are much finer and the ashy gray tints 

 very pronounced. It probably inhabits the mountain regions of the interior of 

 northwestern North America and seems to attain a higher northern range than 

 the Flammulated Screech Owl. 



Nothing is as yet known about its breeding habits and eggs, but these are 

 undoubtedly similar to those of the preceding subspecies. 



133. Bubo virginianus (Gmelin). 



GREAT HORNED OWL. 



Strix virginiana Gmelin, Systema Naturae, 1, i, 1788, 287. 

 Bubo virgmianus Bonaparte, Geographical and Comparative List, 1838, 6. 



(B 48, C, 317, R 405, C 462,. U 375.) 



Geographical range : Eastern North America ; south through eastern Mexico 

 to Costa Rica. 



The breeding range of the Great Horned Owl may be defined as follows: 

 It extends over eastern North America from Florida and the Gulf coast, north 

 into the southern portions of the Dominion of Canada to southern Labrador, 

 and thence westward, principally south of latitude 50° to eastern Manitoba. 

 In the United States the Great Plains form its western limit, including eastern 



