Evening star., 1896-07-21
ONE OF THE RAREsT OWLS.
A Prize Much Valued by the Univers-
ity of Waahingt0n.

From the Spokane Ovashp II okesman- Review
A specimen of the rarest owl in America
was obtained by Henry H. Hindshaw. Gu
rator of the University OF Washngtons
museum on Ills recent natural history ex-
pedition to eastern Washington. The only
other specimen of this owl was taken in
Idaho in 1899. 1t was sent to DIR. c. Hart
Merriam Of the United States Department
Of Agriculture. who pronounced IT dis
tinct geographical variety Of Mesascops
| aammeola. He thereupon described 1T as a
variety new to science. and called 1t Mega
Scoops fammeola idahoensis That specimen
| is a male. On May % Mr.. Hindshaw saw
strange little owl on Snake river, about
twenty-five miles from its mouth, and after
great difficulty secured it. 1t is a female Of
this rarest Of American owls. Its common
name Is the Idaho dwarf screech owl. Me-
gascops famn cola, the type Of this owl,
Is a Mexican species. and is found only oc-
casionally In Colorado and New Mexico
This little owl Is one Of the finest speci-
mems obtained by the University Of Wash
mgton collectors in years.
Another most interesting member of the
owl family was recently taken on the uni
versity grounds. Early in June Mr.. Hind
| shaw obtained fine pair Of Megascops
ssio kennfc ottii, kennicott's sc-eech owl
This owl was never before taken outside of
British Colombia. so far as is known, and
| Il Is interesting for the history it suggests.
IL was discovered in British Columbia by
Bob kennicott and named in his honor
Nr. Kennicott was in charge of the West
ern Union Telegraph Company's expedition
| to extend line of telegraph to Europe by
way Of Alaska, the Aleutian Islands and
| Siberia, as it was then, about 1857, expect
| ed that the Atlantic cable would prove
| failure. There are now occasionally found
| in the forests of the northwest piles OF
glass inSuiators and other reminders of
this abandoned enterprise.
| Mr.. kennlcOtt the far 0rth
and was the first man to ascend the Yukon
| river. He died on that river. W. II. Dali,
| row famous scientist and author of the
| Smithsonian Institution.was a young men,
| Der of the party. and he brought the body
| of kennicott out of the Alaskan wilderness
| Many times the only thing that saved the
| party was Bob Kennicott's famous big
| medicine" large watch with many sin
| sular attachments. By showins this to the
| natives the party would be ferried on to-
| ward civilization. They finally reached
! San Francisco, and the remains of the ex-
| plorer were sent to bis home IN Chicago by
! way Of Panama. The history of this ex-
| pedition was published by the Chicago
| Academy of Sciences. When the book was
| printed a copy was hastily bound and sent
| TO Mr. kennicett's mother. who lived Just
| outside of Chicago, and another unbound
| copy was sent away for proof reading on
| the following day Chicago was destroyed
| by fire, and no other copies of this inter
| esting record have ever been printed. Some
| time the Chicago Academy of Sciences
| may reprint the volume. All this is sug-
| gested by wisc-looking pair OF little
| screech owls in the university museum.