SYRNIUM. 9 
1. Syrnium sartorii. 
Syrnium nebulosum, Scl. P. Z. S. 1858, p. 295"; Sumichrast, La Nat. v. p- 2377; Herrera, La 
Nat. (ser. 2) i. pp. 178, 821°. 
Syrnium nebulosum, var. sartorii, Ridgw. in Baird, Brew., & Ridgw. N. Am. Birds, iii. p. 294. 
Syrnium nebulosum sartorii, Ridgw. Man. N. Am. Birds, ed. 2, p. 258°. 
Supra fuscum, albido frequenter fasciatum ; facie albida, fusco indistincte fasciata: subtus album, usque ad imum 
pectus fusco fasciatum, abdomine distincte fusco striato; alis fuscis, albo fasciatis; cauda fusca, fasciis 
sex albidis angustis notata; tibiis albidis. Long. tota circa 19-0, ale 14:5, caude 9:0. (Deser. maris ex 
Autlan, Jalisco, Mexico. Mus. nostr.) 
Hab. Mexico, Ciudad in Durango (Forrer), Cerro Viejo Jojolitan, Sierra de Cuyutlan, 
Colonia Brizuela near Autlan in Jalisco (A. C. Buller), Monte Alto (Sumichrast 2), 
Valley of Mexico (Herrera*), La Parada (Boucard 1), Mirador (Sartorius 4). 
This Owl is the Mexican representative of the common Barred Owl of North 
America, Syrnium nebulosum (Forst.). It was described by Mr. Ridgway 4 from a 
specimen sent to the United States National Museum by Dr. Sartorius from Mirador, 
on the Atlantic slope of the mountains of Vera Cruz, not far from Huatusco. We 
have no further evidence of its occurrence in that region, but it is apparently not 
uncommon in Western Mexico, where the late Dr. A. C. Buller obtained several 
examples in the State of Jalisco, and where Mr. Forrer found it in the mountains 
between Durango and the Pacific Ocean. It is in all probability this bird, and not the 
true S. nebulosum, that is referred to by Sumichrast? and Herrera ® as occurring in the 
Valley of Mexico. 
S. sartorii may be readily distinguished from S. nebulosum by the darker colour of 
its markings, which are, as Mr. Ridgway says, of a blackish sepia on a white ground, 
instead of reddish umber on an ochreous-white ground, the face being almost destitute 
of darker concentric rings. 
The habits of this Owl doubtless resemble those of the Barred Owl of North 
America, which have been recently fully described by Capt. Bendire and Dr. Fisher, 
and its food analyzed and found to consist to a great extent of mice and a few other 
small mammals, a few birds, insects, and even frogs, fish, and crustacea. 
2. Syrnium fulvescens. (Tab. LXI.) 
' Syrnium nebulosum, Scl. & Salv. Ibis, 1859, p. 221 (nec Forst.) *. 
Syrnium fulvescens, Scl. & Salv. P. Z. 8. 1868, p. 58°; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. ii. p. 258°; 
Salv. Cat. Strickl. Coll. p. 480 *. 
Syrnium nebulosum, var. fulvescens, Ridgw. in Baird, Brew., & Ridgw. N. Am. Birds, iii. p. 29°. 
Supra chocolatino-brunneum, fulvo transfasciatum et maculatum ; disci facialis plumis albis, fulvo et nigro 
variegatis ; alarum tectricibus minoribus in pogonio externo maculis rotundis albis distincte notatis; alis 
caudaque brunneis, fulvo transfasciatis: subtus fulvum, in pectore albicans brunneo frequenter trans- 
fasciatum; ventre pallide fulvescenti-albido, fulvo strigato ; crisso immaculato; tectricibus subalaribus 
pallide fulvis ; tarsis cum digitorum phalangibus primis dense vestitis plumis fulvis, nigricante punctu- 
BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Aves, Vol. 1II., November 1897. 2 
