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77/ A 1 BIRDS OF WISCONSIN 
Intermediates are common in Wisconsin in winter, but Mr. 
Stone thinks they are more likely intermediates between 
virginianm and arctieus than between the former and pal- 
lescens. The western horned owl may, however, occasionally 
straggle to our southwestern borders. 
Nyctea nyctea (Linn.). SNOWY OWL. 
Winter visitant, of irregular occurrence. Some winters the 
snowy owl is quite common, straggling to the very southern 
portions in some numbers, and again not a specimen is 
recorded. A bird of the prairie and large marshes rather 
than of the thick woods, and consequently found more often 
along Lake Michigan and the Lake Superior shores than in 
the interior. Rev. A. C. Barry. 1854, speaks of it as frequently 
remaining in Wisconsin in summer, which is very doubtful 
even of that day. Thure Kumlien knew of two such cases, 
but the birds each time proved to be "cripples, " having been 
slightly wounded and unable to return with the breaking of 
spring-. Perfectly sound specimens were secured, however, 
in April on several occasions, and one as late as May 5 (1847). 
Frequently appears in southern Wisconsin as early as the 
middle of October, but more often from late November to 
mid-winter. Can hardly be considered as nocturnal, as it hunts 
over the marshes all day like a hawk. When these owls reach 
Lake Koshkonong during open water they persistently hunt 
along the edge of the rushes for wounded ducks, and at times, 
apparently from choice, as other food is plenty, will catch fish. 
Does not occur in nearly as great numbers as formerly, and at 
the present time has developed a degree of sagacity equalled 
only by the sand-hill crane or golden eagle. 
Surnia alula caparoch (Mull.). AMERICAN HAWK OWL. 
A very rare winter visitant in southern Wisconsin; more 
frequent in the northern part, especially of late years. 
Recorded from Racine by Dr. Hoy and from the same place 
by Thure Kumlien, who received a specimen from there killed 
in the winter of 1869. Several were also taken about Lake 
Koshkonong at an early day. Mr. J. N. Clark has taken the 
hawk owl twice at Meridian, in April, 1885, and in December, 
1900. In the winter of 1892 we received three specimens from 
Bayfield County. A specimen in the Milwaukee Public 
Museum is labeled "Fox Point, Milwaukee, Wis." 
