THE AMERICAN HAWK-OWL. 69 



under -parts and long, much rounded tail distinguish it from other 

 British Owls. 



Field -characters.- — As much diurnal as nocturnal. Short pointed 

 wings and long tail give hawk -like appearance in flight. Charac- 

 teristic habit of perching on exposed, elevated position such as a 

 bare pole or top of dead fir tree. Takes small birds on the wing and 

 attends on sportsmen to prey on wounded game birds up to size 

 of Willow-Grouse. Bold and aggressive in defence of its nest. 

 Note chattering and hawk-like. (N.F.T.) 



Breeding -habits. — Breeds chiefly in coniferous forest, on hollow 

 tops of broken trees, or in old Woodpeckers' holes and it is said, also 

 in old nests of Raptores. No nest except down and feathers from 

 the incubating bird. Eggs. — 3 or 4 to 9 and even 10, white and 

 glossy. Average of 100 eggs, 40x31.8. Max.: 44x33 and 

 42.3x34.4. Min.: 36x31 .5 and 40x29. Of ten laid at considerable 

 intervals. Breeding -season. — Usually in April ; occasionally end of 

 March or more often in early May. June clutches are probably 

 second layings. Incubation. — Chiefly by hen, but Wheelwright shot 

 both male and female from nest. Single brooded. 



Food. — Chiefly small mammals : lemmings, field- and wood-mice, 

 rats and hamsters ; also small birds ; seen to strike Siberian Jay 

 and feeding on Willow-Grouse ; insects have also been found in 

 stomachs. 



Distribution. — Great Britain. — One Unst (Shetlands) winter 1860-1, 

 probably this form. One Amesbury (Wilts.), prior to 1876. One 

 Aberdeen., Nov., 1898 (Saunders, pp. 305, 756). One Northants., 

 Oct. 19, 1903, not definitely assigned to either form (J. H. Gurney, 

 ZooL, 1904, p. 214). 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Northern parts of Old World, casual 

 Alaska, in winter vagrant and slightly more to south. Replaced 

 by very distinct subspecies in North America (S. ulula caparoch) 

 and by very closely allied ones in parts of Asia. 



232. Surnia ulula caparoch (Miiller)— THE AMERICAN 

 HAWK-OWL. 



Strix caparoch P. L. S. Miiller, Natursystem, Suppl., p. 69 (1776 — 

 Ex Edwards " Europa " by mistake ! Typical locality : Hudson Bay). 

 Surnia funerea (Linnaeus), Yarrell, 1, p. 183 (part) ; Saunders, p. 305 

 (part). 



Description. — Adult male and female. — Like S. it. ulula but upper- 

 parts and wings and tail of a darker, more blackish brown and 

 white markings consequently more accentuated ; feathers of crown 



