STRIGID.E. 99 



Dimensions. 

 Inches. Lines. 

 Length from the tip of the bill to the end of Length of the hill 



the tail, measuring over the crown .10 „ of the tarsus 



„ of the tail .... 3 „ of the middle toe 



„ of the longest quill feather .5 4 „ of the middle claw . 



Another specimen, killed at the same place, was of precisely the same dimen- 

 sions. The sexes of neither were noted. 



Inches. 



Lines, 







9 







n 







9 







7 



Three Owls are mentioned by the Prince of Musignano as inhabitants of the 

 United States, which did not come under notice in our journeys through the fur- 

 countries, and perhaps do not extend so far north. 



1. Strix cunicidaria, which inhabits the burrows of the prairie-marmots, on the 

 plains of the Missouri. The only part of the fur-countries in which this Owl is 

 likely to occur, are the plains of the Saskatchewan, which resemble the prairies of 

 the Missouri. Specimens in Mr. Taylor's possession, sent from Real del Monte, 

 and examined by Mr. Swainson, prove this species to be an inhabitant of the 

 Table Land of Mexico. 



2. Strix asio is said to retire northwards from the United States in the summer. 



3. Strix jlammea, which, being- common to both hemispheres, might be expected 

 to be found in the more northern districts of both. We did not hear of it, how- 

 ever, in the fur-countries. 



It is more than probable that several Owls, not known as inhabitants of Ame- 

 rica, may hereafter be detected in the fur-countries, as our means of procuring 

 these unwonted birds of night were not ample. The Wapacuthu Owl of Pennant 

 and Latham, mentioned in the note to page 86 of this work, seems to be a good 

 species ; but we are unable to assign it a place in the system without further 

 details*.— R. 



* The following is Mr. Hutchins's account of this species : — 



" The Spotted Owl {Wapacuthu) weighs five pounds, and is two feet long and four hroad ; the irides bright- 

 yellow ; bill and talons shining-black and much curved, the former covered with bristly hairs projecting from the base ; 

 space between the eyes, the cheeks, and throat, white ; on the top of the head and on each side of the concha the 

 extreme parts of the feathers are dusky-black ; concha dirty-white ; scapularies, with the lesser and greater coverts 

 of the wings, white, elegantly barred with reddish dusky spots pointing downwards ; the quill feathers and tail are 

 irregularly barred and spotted with pale-red and black; back and coverts of the tail white, with a few dusky spots; 

 under coverts and vent feathers white ; the breast and belly dirty-white, crossed with an infinite number of narrow 

 reddish bars ; the legs are feathered to the toes ; the latter covered with hairs, like that of the bill, but not so strong. 

 This bird is an inhabitant of the woods, makes a nest in the moss on dry ground, lays from five to ten white eggs in 

 May, and the young fly in June, and are entirely white for some time after. They feed on mice and small birds, 

 which they generally kill themselves."— Hut chins, MS., p. 99. 



O 2 



