436 



PREYING BIllDS — RAPTORES. 



Nyctale Acadica, Umelin. 

 THE ACADIAN OWL. 



Strix ylrarfica, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I. 1788, 296. — Nuttall, Man. I. 145. — Acdubox, 

 BirJs Amcr. ; pi. 199. — Xi/ctule Acadica, Bon.\parte, Kur. ami N. Amer. Birds, 7. — 

 Cassin, p. R. Rep. Birils, IX. 58. — Kaup, Trans. Zool. Soe. IV. 206. — Cooper and 

 SucKLEY, XII. iii. Zool. of W. T. 156. — ScL.\TER, Pr. Zool Soc. 1858, 295. (Oax- 

 aca.) — LoRD,Pr. R. Art. Inst. Woolwich, IV. 1863, 111. 



Strix passer ina, " Linn.eus," Wilson, Am. Orn. IV. 66; pi. 34. 



Sp. Char. Above reddish-brown, tinged with olive ; head in front with fine white 

 lines, and large partly concealed white sjiots on the neck behind, runi]i, and scapulars. 

 Face ashy-white, throat white, under parts a.shy-whiti', with pale reddish-brown striijes ; 



under wing and tail coverts white. Quills brown, with small white spots on their outer 

 edges, and large white spots on their inner web,'! ; tail brown, each feather with about tlu'ce 

 pairs of white spots. Iris yellow ; hill and claws dark. 



Hah. Northern jiarts of North America. .South to Oa.xaca, Mexico. 



Found !it Fort Tejon liy J\Ir. J. Xantii.s de Vesey. It is probably more 

 conimoii iKjrthward, as I obtained it at Vancouver, Washington Territory, 

 and in the Eastern States it does not seem to be common south of Pennsyl- 

 vania. It is very nocturnal, and its liabits are therefore but little known. 

 It is said to liave a cry like tlie whetting of a saw. Audubon found their 

 eggs in Maryland, deposited in crow's uests or holes of trees, numbering 

 three to si.x, white, and elliptical. 



