162 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NATURAL HISTORY OF ALASKA. 



having a decided tendency to alternating bars of the prevailing colors of the body. Iris yellow ; 

 bill ivory-white in life, drying yellowish; cere pale flesh-color in life; claws dark. 



[370a.] Ulula oinerea lapponica (Retz.). Lapp Owl. [See Plate V.] 

 The difference between this species and cinerca is in the coloration alone, which in lapponica 

 Is: Above, pale brownish-gray and grayish -white, with the latter color predominating on the 

 lower surface, neck, and head; back with greater amount of brownish, rather darker on wings and 

 tail, which is somewhat darker on the lower half than in cinerca. The disposition of the colors pro. 

 duce irregular, ragged stripes; longitudinally less evident and the brown narrower on the lower 

 parts. Facial disks ashy-gray, with narrow, concentric rings, scarcely regular, but more so than in 

 cinerea. Bill yellowish in life, somewhat the color of soiled ivory. The iris yellow, claws light 

 edged, with darker bases. Cere dark. 



A single specimen, an adult female, of this species was brought to me April 15, 1876, from the 

 Yukon Delta. It is said to be quite rare. I could not learn anything special regarding its habits. 



371. Nyctala tengmalmi eichabdsoni (Bonap.). Richardson's Owl. 



Richardson's Owl does not occur on the coast near St. Michael's. It inhabits the wooded 

 districts. 



A specimen was obtained from Fort Yukon, where it is reported to be not uncommon. 



Natives from Nulato describe a small species of owl as being quite plentiful in that vicinity. I 

 have no doubt they referred to this species. 



375ct. Bubo vtegtniantjs stjbaboticus (Hoy). Western Horned Owl. 



The Western Horned Owl is only an occasional visitor to the immediate vicinity of Saint 

 Michael's, its place on the barren grounds being taken byiV. nyctea. 



A single specimen was obtained from a valley about sixteen miles southeast of the Redoubt. 

 This locality contains a few stunted poplars and alders, of which some of the latter were the largest 

 seen by me along Norton Sound coast. Another specimen was a youug bird obtained on the port- 

 age between Ulukuk and Nulato, though nearer the former place, in the mouth of October. 



Along the upper part of the Yukon River this owl is common and resident wherever fouud. 



The Eskimo name of this owl is Mu Ted pi uJc, and has reference to the tufts of feathers 

 on the head. 



There is great difference in the pattern of coloration and its distribution in each specimen of 

 this bird obtained by me. 



In example 73089, 2 , ad., March, 1877, from Saint Michael's; a nearly pure, white ground-color 

 beneath, regularly barred with narrow brownish -black on sides and flanks, becoming obsolete on 

 legs and median line of abdomen and lower breast. The under tail-coverts barred with black, the 

 bars about one-third as wide as the white; the under tail surface contains six transverse bars, which 

 are about one-fifth as wide as the white, the latter terminal. The upper breast and throat white, 

 with irregular, large blotches of slaty black. A few feathers of rufous on the lower parts, mostly 

 evident on elevatiug the feathers. Wings, head, and back slaty brown, much spotted with irreg- 

 ular markings of white. Face lighter than back. The upper surface of the tail is similar to the 

 back, except that the markings are finer and show no signs of bars only when the tail-feathers are 

 elevated. A few irregular patches of yellowish, brown become evident when the feathers of the 

 upper surface are disturbed. 



No. 73090, & , ad., June 20, 1876, from Fort Yukon. This example has the slaty brown pre- 

 vailing on the lower parts. The breast and sides are nearly confluent bars, which extend across 

 the upper breast; disappearing and leaving a pure white patch on the lower breast and upper ab- 

 domen. The lower abdomen, thighs, and tarsus are whitish-fulvous, with very fine bars of dusky- 

 brown, which become nearly obsolete on feathers of the tarsus, and there prevail as fine broken 

 bars on an ashy grouud, showing a slight fulvous tint. The under surface of the tail-feathers con- 

 tains seven bars of less distinctness than in No. 73089. Wings, back, head, and tail above are a 

 shade darker than iu 73089, with the dottings of whitish very irregular in size and distribution. 





