448 ULULA TENGMALMI. 



liver-brown, spotted with white ; those upon the latter parts 

 large, and surrounded by a margin of liver-brown. Back, wing- 

 coverts, and scapulars, liver-brown, spotted with white ; the 

 spots upon the mantle nearly concealed by the overlaying tips 

 of the feathers. Quills liver-brown ; their exterior webs having 

 three or four oval white spots, forming imperfect bars. Points 

 of the outer barbs of the whole of the first quill open and re- 

 versed ; those of the second the same for one-half of its length ; 

 of the third a small portion only near the tip. Third and fourth 

 quill-feathers the largest in the wing ; the third rather exceed- 

 ing the fourth. The first and second having their inner webs 

 notched, the second and third with their outer webs sinuated. 

 Tail extending nearly an inch beyond the closed wings, liver- 

 brown, crossed by five interrupted white bars, or rather rows 

 of spots, the last about half an inch from the tip. Under plum- 

 age white, varied with paler liver-brown. Legs having the 

 tarsi short, and, as well as the toes, thickly clothed with soft 

 hair-like feathers. Claws of a tolerable length, and moderately 

 incurved." This description agrees sufficiently with mine, and 

 with those given by Mr Yarrell, who, however, does not inform 

 us as to the country of his specimens, and by M. Temminck, 

 who among his synonyms makes no reference to the American 

 birds. 



Habits. — This species is said by authors to inhabit the nor- 

 thern parts of Europe, and to extend in diminished numbers as 

 far south as France, Switzerland, and Italy. A very few in- 

 dividuals have been met with in England. Mr Selby, as al- 

 ready mentioned, procured one shot in Northumberland, and 

 Mr Yarrell states that in 1836 "a recently shot specimen was 

 purchased in a poulterer's shop in London ; and in May of the 

 same year, Mr John Leadbeater of Brewer Street received a 

 specimen for preservation which had been shot in Kent." M. 

 Temminck says it nestles in the natural holes of pines, laying 

 two pure white eggs ; and feeds on mice, moths, beetles, and 

 other insects, as well as sometimes on birds. In North Ame- 

 rica, according to Dr Richardson, it appears to inhabit all the 

 wooded country from Great Slave Lake to the United States, 



