8o 
BIRDS OF COLORADO. 
now known. There certainly is a Horned Owl that breed's in the 
mountains even up to ii,ooo feet, and either this or some closely 
related form is found in winter nearly to the limit of trees. It 
is probable that these winter birds belong to both subarciiciis 
and arcticus^ and that the summer birds are principally, if not 
entirely, suba 7 'ctims^ though largely partaking of the character 
of both forms. 
375b. Bubo virginianus arcticus. Arctic Horned Owl. 
Winter visitant; not uncommon. That this variety occurs 
in Colorado at any time in the year has been often denied. All 
doubts on the subject were lately settled by a specimen that Mr.' 
C. B. Aiken lately sent to the present writer and which has 
been identified by Mr. Ridgway as undoubtedly arcticus. Mr. 
Aiken writes about these birds, that there was “an owl I had 
mounted twelve or fourteen years ago which I called arctictis. 
That specimen was a little more white and probably nearer the 
type than the present one. Both birds were brought to me by 
boys who had killed them near town [Colorado Springs,] but 
whether in the mountains or along the creek below town I can- 
not say. We have a flight of the lighter marked owls late in 
the fall, quite regularly, but I think the two under consideration 
are the only ones I have seen quite so light. I think both these 
birds were killed in November.” Writing some years ago about 
arcticus^ Mr. C. F. Morrison says: “ This is the variety to which 
I refer the mountain specimens, they showing as much differ- 
ence from the plains specimens of subarcticus as my Montana 
birds do, and in some cases even lighter. Do not know just 
where to draw the line, but I think true arctictis will be found 
as far south as the southern border of the State in the main 
chain of the Rockies.” Prof Win. Osburn says that one he has 
referred to this variety was shot in the mountains near Love- 
land November 29, 1890. It was nearly white. 
[375c. Bubo virginianus saturatus. Dusky Horned Owe. 
Resident; not common. In time the above record of this variety will 
probably be shown to be correct, but at the present time it is hardly a scientific 
statement It has been but once formally stated as occurring in Colorado 
(Fisher, Hawks and Owls of the U. S., 74), and that is based on a misquotation, 
the birds having been found in Arizona instead of Colorado. Moreover all 
writers on Colorado birds agree that the Horned Owls of the mountains are a 
light colored race showing a tendency toward arcticus instead of saturatus. 
Nevertheless it is almost certain since the variety has been found common a few 
miles from the southwest corner of Colorado that it does really inhabit the 
higher mountains in the coniferous forests ] 
376. Nyctea nyctea. Snowy Owl. 
Winter visitant ; rare. More than a score of cases are 
known of its occurring in winter on the plains and the lower 
foothills of eastern Colorado to about the central part of the 
