BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
159 
Genus SURNIA Dumeril. 
Surnia ulula caparoch (Mull.). 
American Hawk Owl. 
Description. 
“General form rather long but robust ; size medium ; head moderate, without ear 
tufts ; facial disc obsolete ; legs rather short and densely feathered to toes ; wines 
rather long ; first, four quills incised on inner webs ; tail long with its central feath- 
ers about two inches longer than the outer. Upper parts fuliginous brown, with num- 
erous partially concealed circular spots on the neck behind scapulars and wing- 
coverts. Face grayish-white ; throat white with longitudinal stripes of dark brown ; 
a large brown spot on each side of breast ; other under parts with transverse lines 
or stripes of pale ashy-brown ; quills and tail brown, with bands of white ; bill pale 
yellowish ; iris yellow. Color of upper parts darker on head, and the white mark- 
ings more or less numerous in different specimens.” (Length 15 to 17| inches ; ex- 
tent about 33 ; tail 7 or little less.) — B. B. of N. A. 
Habitat. — Arctic America, migrating in winter to the northern border of the United 
States. Occasional in England. 
This curious bird partakes of the general appearance, and also the 
habits, of both a hawk and an owl, and is said to be principally diurnal. 
Very rare and irregular winter visitor from the north. Joseph Krider 
has a specimen captured some few years ago, near Philadelphia, in mid- 
winter. 
Messrs. E. C. Wrenshall, Allegheny county, J. F. Kitcham, Bradford 
county, and J. G. Bohn, report the capture of stragglers. 
Order COCCYGES. Cuckoos. 
Suborder CUCULI. Cuckoos. 
Family GUGULID.^. Cuckoos, Anis. 
THE CUCKOOS. 
Two species of this family are found in Pennsylvania as summer residents. These, 
the Black and Yellow-billed Cuckoos, can be recognized by the following characters: 
Bill curved, black or yellow, and about as long as head. Tail, often graduated, with 
spotted and long feathers ; loral feathers soft ; four toes arranged in pairs, the outer 
versatile and directed somewhat laterally ; feet are weak ; chiefly arboreal in habits. 
A specimen of the Ani {Crotophaga ani, Linn. ), a species which inhabits the West 
Indies and eastern South America, was taken near Philadelphia, September, 1849. 
