BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
159 
Genus STJRNXA 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; winers 
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 \1\ 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. B. 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 CUCULIDjE. 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. 
