GREA T HORNED WL. 2 $Q 



aHEAT HORNED OWL. {Strix Virginiana.) 



PLATE L.— Fig. 1. 



Arct. Zool. p. 228, No. 114.— Edw. 60.— Lath. i. 119.— Turt. Si/st. p. 166.— 

 Peale's Museum, No. 410. 



BUBO VIBGIN-IAJVA.—Cvvier* 



Le Grand Hibou d'Amerique, Cuv. Beg. Anim. i. p. 329. —Strix Virginiana, 

 Bonap. Synop. p. 37. — The Great Horned Owl, Aud. Om. Bioci. i. p. 313, 

 pi. 61, male and female. — Strix (Bubo) Virginiana, North. Zool. ii. p. 82. 



The figure of this bird, as well as of those represented in the 

 same plate, is reduced to one half its natural dimensions. 



* Cuvier uses the title Buho to distinguish those species which, as in 

 the genus Otus, have the tarsi feathered, and are furnished with egrets, 

 but have the disk surrounding the face less distinctly marked, and have 

 a small external conch. He assumes as the type the eagle owl of 

 Europe, but places the Virginian species in his genus Otus, with 

 the small long-eared owl of Britain : the latter has the disk very dis- 

 tinct, and the ears large, the characters of Otus ; but the American bird 

 is in every way a true Bubo, as defined by the great French naturalist. 

 It is a genus of very extensive geographical distribution ; individuals 

 exist in almost every latitude, and in the four quarters of the world. 

 Their abodes are the deep and interminable forests, their habits 

 nocturnal, though they are not so much annoyed or stupified if dis- 

 turbed in the day, and much more difficult to approach, earnestly 

 watching their pursuer. 



An eagle owl in my possession remains quiet during the day, unless 

 he is shown some prey, when he becomes eager to possess it, and when 

 it is put within his reach, at once clutches it, and retires to a corner to 

 devour it at leisure. During night he is extremely active, and sometimes 

 keeps up an incessant bark. It is so similar to that of a cur or terrier 

 as to annoy a large Labrador house-dog, who expressed his dissatisfac- 

 tion by replying to him, and disturbing the inmates nightly. I at first 

 mistook the cry also for that of a dog, and, without any recollection of 

 the owl, sallied forth to destroy this disturber of our repose ; and it was 

 not until tracing the sound to the cage, that I became satisfied of the 

 author of the annoyance. I have remarked that he barks more inces- 

 santly during a clear winter night than at any other time, and the thin 

 air at that season makes the cry very distinctly heard to a considerable 

 distance. This bird also shows a great antipathy to dogs, and will per- 

 ceive one at a considerable distance, nor is it possible to distract his 



