314 NYCTALE TENGMALMI VAR. RICHARDSONI. 



Noctiia Uiitjmalmi, Cuv., R. A. i, 18-29, 549.— Less., Tr. Orn. 1831, 102.— Selby, Brit. Orn. 



•2i\ ed. i, 1(1.'), pi. '2().— Jaud., Biit. Birds, i, 270.— J ex., Mau. 18:35, 94. 

 jEyoUim toifjinalmi, K.vri'. Sic. Ent. Enr. Tli. 1829, 34. 



VlnJa teiufiiialmi, Bi'., Os?*. Cnv. R. A. .53; Lsis, 1833, 1052.— Macgii.., Brit. Birds, iii, 445. 

 Scotophifus hiij/maJmi, Sw., Classif. B. ii, 217. 

 Nyctale tcnqmalmi, Bp., List, 1838. 7. — Guay, Gen. of B. i, 40. — Keys Sl Blas., Wirb. 



Eiir. 1840, 32.— Stiuckl., Orn. Syn. 1855, 175. 

 " Sirix fiinora, Linn., Fn. Snec. 25" (Gray). 

 Nyctalv fiiiicira, Bp., Cat. IJcc. Eur. 1842, 24 ; Cousp. Av. 18.50, 54.— Gray, Cat. B. Brit. 



Mns. 94; List Brit. Birds, 18G3, 22.— Kaup, Mon. Siri;/. Cont. Orn. 1852, 104. 

 " Sirix pasm-riiia, Meyer, Zool. Ann. i, 333. — Pall., Zoojj. R. A. i, 323.-' 

 Strix dasiipuH, Beciist., Naturg. Dent, ii, 972. — Meyer, Tasch. i, 82; Naturg. vi, pi. 2; 



Vog. Liv. Esthl. 37. 

 Nycicdc dnayptm, Gray, Gen. of B. 

 NyctaU jiJuniccps, pinetorum et ahieium, Breiim, V. D. 1831, 112, 113. 



b. ricliardsoni. 



0)Sfrix pa-sscrim, FoRST., Pbil. Trans. Ixii, 1772, 385 (Penn. Arct. Zool. ii, Suppl. 60.) 



Strix tciK/malmi. S\v. &. Rich.,,F. B. A. ii, 1831, 94, pi. 82 (not of authors). — Nutt., Man. 

 'i, 18.54, 5(52.— AuD., Orn. Biog. iv, .559, pi. 380.— Peap,., R<!p, Oni. Mass. 91. 



Nyctale teuymnlmi, Dall & Bann., Tr. Cbic. Acad, i, 18t)9, 273 (Alaska). — Allen, Am. 

 Nat. iii, 1870, 64() (Massachusetts, t^ ree instances). 



Nyctale Icnqmahni xiw. ricliardsoni, Ridgw., Am. Nat. vi, 1872, 28.5. —CouES, Key, 1872, 

 205.— B. B. & R., N. A. B. iii, 1874. 40. 



TJluJa tevfpnalmi, Aui)., Syn. 1839, 24 ; B. Am. i, 1840, 122, jd. 32.— Putn., Pr. Ess. Inst, 

 i, 185(), 22() (Massachusetts). — fTi;ii>PE, ibid, vi, l!-)71, 113 (Minnesota). 



Nyctale richardsoni, Bp., Comp. List. l.';38, 7 ; Cousp. i, 1850, ()4. — Kaup, Mon. Sirig. 

 Cont. Orn. 1852, 105.— Cas.s., 111. i, 1854, 185.— Sti:ickl.. Orn. Syn. 18.')5, 17(j.— 

 Brew., N. Am. Ool. 1857, 73.— Bd., B. N. A. 18.58, 57.— Boardm., Pr. Bost. Soc. 

 is, 1862, 123 (Maine, probably lesident, not commcm). — Verr., Pr. Ess. Inst, 

 iii, 18G2, 157 (Maiue).^ — ^Allen, ibid, iv, 1834. 52 (Massachusetts, rare, in win- 

 ter).— McIlwr., ibid, v, 1866. 82 (Canada West, rare, in winter).— CoUES, ibid. 

 V, 1868, 260 (New England).— Ma YX., Nat. Guide, 1870, 133 (Massachusetts).— 

 Hatcfi, Bull. Minn. Acad, i, 1874, 52 (Minnesota, occasionally, in winter). 



Nyctala ricliardsoni. Gray., Hand-list, i, 1869, 51, No. 555. 



Hah. — The typical form from Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa. Var. ricliardsoni 

 from Northern Noi'th America; south regularly to the United States frontier; in winter 

 rarely through New England, beyond which no record on the Atlantic. Northern 

 Ohio ( Winslow). 



Hiivinjf been at first considered the same as its European representa- 

 tive, and afterward beld to be a distinct species, this interesting- Owl 

 has at length settled into its true position as a geographical race ot N. 

 tengmalmi of Europe, as ascertained by Mr. liidg way's studies. It differs 

 troni its coiige'ier, just as the American Hawk Owl does, in an excess 

 of (hirker colors ; the legs being oclirey-brown, much variegated with 

 darker, instead of white, with little marking; and there is more dark 

 color on the crissum. It is, perhaps, the most decidedly boreal of our 

 species of the family ; for although it does not range further north than 

 some, such as the Hawk Owl, the Snowy, and the Great Gray Owl, its 

 southern limit is more restricted. It has never been observed as far 

 south as all of the tliree just mentioned are known to range in winter. 

 On the Atlantic coast T find no record for Pennsylvania or Kew Jersey, 

 though it is stated to have been procured in Connecticnt by Dr. VV. 

 W. Wood, while Mr. Allen gives several instances of its cai)ture in Massa- 

 chusetts. In Maine, according to Mr. Boardman, it is resident; it has 

 been noticed in Wisconsin by Dr. Hoy, and the queried Minnesotan 

 record, by Mr. Trii)pe, is doubtless correct, as it has been lately checked 

 by Dr. Hatch. Sir John Kichardson speaks of its very great abundance 

 in the region of the Saskatchewan, whence it undoubtedly visits the 

 Upper Mi.ssouri in winter. 



Owls of this genus are among the most perfectly nocturnal birds ot 

 the iamily, and appear confined to wooded regions. The food is i)rinci- 



