BARRED OWL. 
57 
BARRED OWL.— STRIX NEBULOSA.— Plate XXXIII. Fig. 2. 
Turton, Syst. 169 Arct. Zool. p. 234, No. 122 Lath. 133 Strix aeclamator, 
The Whooting Owl, Bartram, 289 Peale's Museum , No. 464. 
STRIX NEBULOSA. — Forster.* 
La chouette du Canada, (Ulula,) Cuv. Regn. Anim. i. p. 328. — Strix nebulosa, 
(sub-gen. Ulula, Cuv.) Bonap. Synop. p. 38 Chouette nebuleuse, Temm. 
Man. i. p. S6 Strix nebulosa, North. Zool. ii. p. 81. 
This is one of our most common Owls. In winter parti- 
cularly, it is numerous in the lower parts of Pennsylvania, 
among the woods that border the extensive meadows of 
hunger again calls them forth. Our present species is one of the more active, 
and is common also to the European continent. In Britain, it is an occa- 
sional visitant. They seem to appear at uncertain intervals, in more abundance ; 
thus, in 1823, I received two beautiful specimens from East Lothian ; and, 
in the same year, two or three more were killed on that coast. Mr Selby 
mentions, that in the year 1815, Northumberland was visited by them, and 
several specimens were obtained. He remarks, “ Two of these birds, from 
having attached themselves to a neighbouring marsh, passed under my frequent 
observation. Their flight was smooth but slow, and not unlike that of the 
common Buzzard ; and they seldom continued for any length of time on the 
wing. They preyed upon wild ducks and other birds, frogs and mice, which 
they mostly pounced upon on the ground.” They appear to prefer trees for 
their breeding-place, whereas rocks, and the sides of deep ravines, are more 
frequently selected by the common Buzzard. No instance has occurred of 
them breeding in this country. In plumage, they vary as much as the common 
species, the colour of the upper parts being of lighter or darker shades ; the 
breast sometimes largely patched with deep brown, and sometimes entirely of 
that colour ; and the white bar at the base of the tail, though always present, 
is of various dimensions. Dr Richardson says it arrives in the Fur Countries 
in April and May ; and having reared its young, retires southward early in 
October. They were so shy, that only one specimen could be got by the 
expedition Ed. 
* Cuvier places this bird in his genus Ulula. It may be called nocturnal, 
though it does shew a greater facility of conducting itself during the day than 
the really night-living species, and will approach nearer to the Tawny Owl of 
this country than any other ; indeed, it almost seems the American represen- 
tative of that species. The Tawny Owl, though not so abundant, has the 
