HORNED OWLS, ETC. 187 
Distribution. —Valleys and southern coast of California, and east to San 
Francisco Mountain, Arizona. 
Eggs. — Usually 3. 
GENUS NYCTEA. 
376. Nyctea nyctea (Linn.). Snowy Owl. 
Ear tufts rudimentary; ear openings small, without anterior flap, the 
two ears not distinctly different; tail not reaching beyond tips of longest 
under coverts; four outer quills emarginate; toes covered with long 
From The Osprey . 
Fig. 250. 
hair - like feathers, partly or wholly concealing the claws ; bill nearly 
concealed by loral feathers. Adult male : body pure white, sometimes 
almost unspotted, but usually marked more or less with transverse spots 
or bars of slaty brown. Adult female : much darker, pure white only on 
face, throat, middle of breast and feet, the head spotted, and the rest 
of the body barred with dark brown. Male : length 20-23, wing 15.50- 
17.30, tail 0.00-9.70, bill 1. Female: length 23-27, wing 17.30-18.70, tail 
9.70-10.30, bill 1.10. 
