STBIGID^: OTHER OWLS. 509 
Analysis of Species. 
Under parts streaked on the breast, elsewhere barred. Iris yellow. Six quills sinuate. 
Of immense size; length 2 feet or more ; toes densely feathered. Northern cinerea 474 
Under parts barred on the breast, elsewhere streaked. Iris black. Five quills sinuate. 
Of medium size ; length about 1^ feet. 
Toes fully feathered. Eastern nebulosa 476 
Toes mostly naked. Florida alleni 477 
Under parts barred everywhere. Iris black. Five quills sinuate. 
Of medium size ; toes fully feathered. "Western occidentaiis 478 
4T4. S. cine'rea. (Lat. cinerea, ashy.) Great Gray Owl. Spectral Owl. Feet completely 
feathered to the claws ; bill and eyes yellow } 6 primaries cut on inner webs. Entire upper 
parts dark brown, mottled with grayish-white in confused and intricate pattern, reducible in 
general to dissipation of bars. Wings and tail similar, broken-barred with grayish-white 
marbling. Under parts of the same dark brown and pale gray, the pattern in streaks on the 
breast, in cross-bars on the belly and flanks, in spots on the feet. The great facial disc watered 
with dark broMai and light gray in regular rings concentric with each eye, the outermost ring 
dark brown, and stronger than the rest, bounded below with a ragged white collar. Length 
2 feet or more ; extent about 5 feet ; wing 16.00-18.00 inches ; tail 11.00-12.50 ; culmen 
1.00 without cere. An immense owl, one of the largest of all, inhabiting Arctic America, 
straying irregularly south into the U. S. in winter, even to New Jersey, Illinois, and California ; 
said to be common from our northern border northward, and perhaps resident in Northern New 
England. Nest in trees, of sticks, mosses, and feathers ; eggs usually 3 or 4, not equal-ended 
and rather small for the bird, 2.25 X 1.80. Like others of the ^enus it is a wood owl ; while 
its prowess enables it to prey upon creatures up to the size of grouse and hares. 
475. S. c. lappo'nica. (Lat. lapponica, of Lapland.) Lap Owl. Specimens from Alaska, lighter 
colored than ordinary, have been referred to the European rather than the American variety. 
476. S. nebulo'sa. (Lat. nehulosa, clouded. Fig. 356.) Barred Owl. Hoot Owl. American 
Wood Owl. Toes fully feathered, nearly or quite to the claws, which are blackish; bill 
yellow ; iris black. Of medium size in the genus : length 
18.00-20.00; extent about 14.00; wing 12.50-13.50, rounded; 
tail 9.00-10.00, rounded. Markings of back and breast in 
cross-bars, of belly in length^dse stripes. Above, umber- 
brown or liver -color, everywhere barred with white or tawny, 
or both ; breast the same ; on the belly the pattern changing 
abruptly to heavy dusky shaft-stripes on a white or tawny 
ground ; crissum the same ; feet speckled with dusky : wings 
and tail like the back or rather darker, regularly barred with 
gray, light brown or tawny, some of the bars usually making 
white spots at their ends, and the marking of the wing-coverts Fig. 356. — Barred Owl, reduced, 
rather in spots than bars. Lining of wings tawny, with some dusky spotting. Facial disc 
set in a frame of black and white specks, with blackened eye-lids, and obscurely watered 
with lighter and darker colors in rings around the eye as a centre, the bristly feathers about 
the bill mixed black and white, or white at base, blackened terminally. A notably large and 
somewhat impressive owl of Eastern N. Am., common in woodland of the U. S., especially 
southerly ; not known to range much north of the U. S., though occurring in parts of Canada, 
and not reported from the West, where apparently replaced by *S'. occidentaiis. It is the com- 
monest ' hooting ' owl, the strange outbursts of midnight discord which one may hear about the 
farm-house or camp-fire proceeding oftener from this species than from the great horned owl : 
and it is strong enough to prey upon poultry, quail, rabbits and squirrels, as well as humbler 
game. Nest in a hoUow tree, or a deserted hawk's or crow's nest ; eggs laid early in spring, 
white, subspherical, about 2.00 X 1.75. 
