Range.--California, southward and east to Arizona. Smaller and darker than the eastern form but not as dark as the last. Eggs the same as those of the others. [Illustration 237: White.] [Illustration: Great Horned Owl.] [Illustration: right hand margin.] Page 236 [Illustration 238: YOUNG SCREECH OWLS.] Page 237 375e. DWARF HORNED OWL. _Bubo virginianus elachistus._ Range.--Lower California. This is a similar but darker form of the Horned Owl and is very much smaller than virginianus. The nesting habits will be the same, but the eggs may average smaller. 376. Snowy Owl. _Nyctea nyctea._ Range.--Arctic regions, breeding within the Arctic Circle and wintering to the northern border of the United States and casually farther. This very beautiful species varies in plumage from pure white, unmarked, to specimens heavily and broadly barred with blackish brown. It is, next to the Great Gray Owl, the largest species found in America, being 2 feet in length. Like the Great Horned Owls, they are very strong, fearless, and rapacious birds, feeding upon hares, squirrels and smaller mammals, as well as Grouse, Ptarmigan, etc. They nest upon the ground, on banks or mossy hummocks on the dry portions of marshes, laying from two to eight eggs, white in color and with a smoother shell than those of the Great Horned Owl. Size 2.25 × 1.75. Data.--Point Barrow, Alaska, June 16, 1898. Three eggs laid in a hollow in the moss. 377. European Hawk Owl. _Surnia ulula ulula._ Range.--Northern portion of the Old World; accidental in Alaska. Similar to the American species, but lighter and more brownish. [Illustration 239: White.] [Illustration: Snowy Owl.] [Illustration: deco.] [Illustration: right hand margin.] Page 238 377a. HAWK OWL. _Surnia ulula caparoch._ Range.--Northern North America, breeding from the central portions of British America northward; probably also breeds in the Rocky Mountains in the northern tier of states and casually farther. This handsome mottled and barred, gray and black Owl might readily be mistaken for a Hawk, because of his Hawk-like appearance and long rounded tail. They are very active birds, especially in the day time, for they are more diurnal than nocturnal; their food is mostly of small rodents, and also small birds. They nest either in the tops of large fir trees, in hollows of stumps, or, in some cases, upon the ground. When in trees their nests are made of twigs, leaves and weeds, and sometimes lined with moss and feathers; they lay from three to eight white eggs, size 1.50 × 1.20. Data.--Labrador, May 3, 1899. Five eggs. Nest in the top of a dead tree, 15 feet from the ground. 378. BURROWING OWL. _Speotyto cunicularia hypogæa._ Range.--Western North America from the Mississippi Valley west to California; north to the southern parts of British America and south to Central America.