The Horned Owls 



Of the most recent recorded occurrence, Grinnell says: 1 "On the 

 evening of July 15, 1905, at Bluff Lake, I obtained an adult male of this 

 rare species. During the preceding two evenings we had repeatedly 

 heard a peculiar note, different from that of any other owl we had ever 

 heard. It consisted of a single mellow 'whoot,' repeated at regular inter- 

 vals, something like the call note of the Phainopepla in this respect. These 

 notes began to be heard at early dusk, by seven o'clock; but on account of 

 their ventriloquial quality, gave little clue as to distance. Although far 

 reaching, the notes proved to have been uttered close at hand." 



No. 218 



Horned Owl 



No. 218a California Horned Owl 



A. O. U. No. 375d. Bubo virginianus paciflcus Cassin. 



Synonyms. — Pacific Horned Owl. Hoot Owl, par excellence. Cat Owl. 



Description. — Adult: Ear-tufts conspicuous, two inches or more in length, black, 

 bordered with ochraceous; entire upperparts dusky or blackish, finely barred and 

 mottled with prevailing whitish and ochraceous, the latter color predominant on each 

 feather basally; wing-quills and tail faintly broad-barred; facial disc ochraceous, 

 sharply bordered by blackish laterally, feathers whitish and black-tipped centrally, 

 borders before and over eye blackish ; a broad white space on chest ; feathers of remaining 

 underparts tawny or ochraceous tawny at base, changing to white on terminal portions 

 (in very variable amount), finely and heavily barred with dusky brown; the sides of 

 breast spotted with the same color; the toes pale tawny, nearly immaculate; iris bright 

 yellow. Bill and toe-nails bluish black. Young: Above and below ochraceous, barred 

 with dusky. Chicks are covered with white down. Measurements, av. of 4 males: 

 Length (skins): 514.35 (20.25); wing 342 (13.47); tail 210 (8.27); bill from cere 26.1 

 (1.03). Av. of 6 females: Length 557.53 (21.95); wing 366 (14.41); tail 236 (9.29); 

 bill from cere 28.1 (1.11). 



Remarks. — This is the prevailing form throughout California, save in the humid 

 coastal belt and the arid southeast. Ridgway, following Oberholser, has recognized a 

 southern coastal form, B. v. icelus, from the "coast of California from about Latitude 

 35 north, to the San Francisco Bay district," but the distinction is clearly based on 

 insufficient material. The influence of saturatus, that is, the darkening tendency, is 

 felt all the way down the coast, but specimens from the southern humid coast belt 

 can be duplicated by specimens from the San Bernardinos, and there is no constant 

 difference, as alleged. 



Recognition Marks. — Largest except for the two rare species, Scotiaptex n. 

 nebulosa and Nyctea nyctea. "Horns" and size distinctive. Much darker than B. v. 

 pallescens; lighter than B. v. saturatus. 



1 The Biota of the San Bernardino Mountains, p. 59. 



III2 



