NYCTAL1N1DJE. 
269 
nature, the Snowy Owls become very tame and gentle when in confinement and make most 
interesting pets. One that I had for some time, became so familiar that he would allow 
me to handle him, even playfully taking my finger in his large beak without attempting 
to injure it. He was also found of grasping my fingers in his powerful claws, allowing me 
to shake hands with him but he never attempted to harm me, excepting on one occasion, 
when he behaved in a singular manner. I was accustomed to enter the room in which he 
was kept and, upon doing so one morning, was surprised to see the Owl fly to meet me for 
he usually sat on his perch until I fed him. Although this procedure was unexpected, 
the next movement which he made, was much more astonishing and, to me, somewhat per¬ 
plexing, for he alighted on my back, buried his talons in my clothing, of which I fortunate¬ 
ly had on a good thickness, yet, as it was, I felt his claws scrape my skin, then extending 
his wings, he flapped them violently, evidently endeavoring to raise me from the ground, 
and it was only after making considerable effort, that I at length coaxed him to loosen his 
hold, when he returned to his perch. This bird emitted a whistling cry whenever I ap¬ 
proached him, similar to that produced by the Sparrow Hawk, which was much higher than 
I ever heard any other Owl give, but this was the only note that I ever heard him utter. 
The food of these Owls appears to consist largely of small rodents which diet is occasion¬ 
ally varied by the addition of a few birds. The Snowy Owls make their appearance in 
Massachusetts, late in November, remaining all winter but departing with the snow in the 
spring. 
FAMILY V. NYCTALINIDH4. THE BIRD OWLS. 
Sternum, quite emarginate. Marginal indentations, four, narrow, with the outer very 
deep. Keel , low, not exceeding one half the width of the sternum. Tarsus, variable but never 
long. Feet, small. Eyes , medium in size. Facial disk , not perfect. Ear tufts, present or 
wanting. 
In this family, I have included three groups of Owls which may appear, at first sight, 
somewhat incongruous but they seem, to me, to be closely related and I have been induced 
to place them under one head on account of the peculiar form of the sternum which is some¬ 
what flat, rather slight in struture, with a keel which is low in comparison with the width 
of the sternum, while the posterior margin is deeply emarginate, with the indentations 
deep, especially the outer. The furcula is never well developed and, in some of the gen¬ 
era, is not ossified for the entire length. The color is variable as is also the comparative 
length of the wings and tail. 
GENUS I. SCOPS. THE SMALL EARED OWLS. 
Gen. Ch. The sternum is somewhat arched , with a moderately straight keel which does not quite equal in heiyht one 
half the width of the sternum. Outer marginal indentations, wider than the inner. Coracoids, short, not being quite equal 
in length to the top of the keel and are set on at a rather wide angle. Furcula, quite well developed, being ossified for its entire 
length. Ear tufts, present and well developed. Tail, short, less than one half the length of the wings which are considerably 
elongated. 
