Doubtful and obscure species which have been described as inhabiting
America north of Mexico:—
1. Strix wapacuthu. Gm., Syst. Nat. I., p. 291. (1788.) Pennant,
Arctic Zoology I., p. 268. Rich. and Sw. Fauna Boreali
Americana, Birds, p. 86, 99.
“The Spotted Owl (_Wapacuthu_) weighs five pounds, and is two feet
long and four broad; the irides bright yellow; bill and talons shining
black, and much curved, the former covered with bristly hairs
projecting from the base; space between the eyes, the cheeks, and
throat, white; on the top of the head, and on each side of the concha,
the extreme parts of the feathers are dusky black; concha dirty white;
scapularies, with the lesser and greater coverts of the wings, white,
elegantly barred with reddish dusky spots pointing downwards; the
quill feathers and tail are irregularly barred and spotted with pale
red and black; back and coverts of the tail white, with a few dusky
spots; under coverts and vent feathers white; the breast and belly
dusky white, crossed with an infinite number of narrow reddish bars;
the legs are feathered to the toes; the latter covered with hairs like
those of the bill, but not so strong.
“This bird is an inhabitant of the woods, makes a nest in the moss on
dry ground, lays from _five to ten_ white eggs in May, and the young
fly in June, and are entirely white for some time after. They feed on
mice and small birds, which they generally kill themselves. Hutchins’
MSS., p. 99.” Fauna. Bor. Am., Birds, p. 99.
This species, if distinct from the Snowy Owl, is absolutely unknown to
naturalists, never having been noticed by any traveller since Mr.
Hutchins. Though, from the description above quoted, apparently a
peculiar species, the same name is given by the natives in the vicinity
of Hudson’s Bay, to the Snowy Owl, according to Mr. Hearne (Journey to
the Northern Ocean, p. 402. London, 1795, quarto); and it, too, makes
its nest on the ground. With so little positive information, it is
impossible to form more than conjectures respecting the bird alluded to
in the description, and it must be left as an interesting matter of
inquiry for future explorers and naturalists.
It may be observed with reference to Mr. Hearne’s statement, that if the
bird he alluded to was really an Owl, it differs from any other American
species in laying from “five to ten eggs.” Careful and evidently
accurate statements respecting the incubation of nearly all the northern
species, are given by Dr. Hall, in his “Sketch of the Zoology of the
District of Montreal” (manuscript in our possession); and no species is
represented as producing more than “four to five eggs,” except the
Mottled Owl (_Scops nævia_), which lays “five to six.” The Snowy Owl, it
is stated by Dr. Hall, lays “two white eggs.”
2. Otus mexicanus. (Gm.)
Strix mexicana. Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I., p. 288. (1766.)
Bubo clamator. Vieill., Ois d’Am., Sept. I., p. 52, pl. 20.
(1807.)
Strix longirostris. Spix Av. Bras. 1., p. 20, pl. 9 a. (1824.)
This Owl, which is a rather common South American species, is stated by
Vieillot to inhabit America from Cayenne to Hudson’s Bay. His remarks
apply, however, to the _Scops asio_ in mottled plumage; though a good
plate is given by him of the bird, of which the name is above cited, no
specimen of which has ever come under our notice, captured in any part
of the United States.