412 BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



is conspecific with the single I'lihearctic species, .V. Iniiiiiutlmi. A 

 third species, the N. harrisi Cassin, belongs to northern South 

 America (Colombia). 



Com. Char. AiIkIIk. Above brown, more or IcHsspottiul with wliltc; biMieiitli wlilt>', 

 broadly Klripi'd with robllHh brown. VO1/110. Abovi- uniform bmwn. th<- whiKs ami tail, 

 however. Mlurked with while. as In till- adiilL Faee uniform duHky surmounted by eon- 

 spieuous white "eyebrows." Lower parts uniform brown anteriorly, and uniform brieht 

 oohraeoous posteriorly. 



1. R. tengmalmf riohardsoni. Wine. 7.30 invhos or more: toll about 4.50; culmon, .CO; 



tarsus. 1.11": nii.lclb- t...-. .67. Bill yellow. 



2. N. aoBdica. WImk. ."j.ivs.iiii: tall. 'J.Civ-H.ikj; oulmen, .V,-.Tti>: tarsus, .xu: mlihlli! too. 

 .W-.lir>. Uill blaek. 



Nyctala tenginalmi richardsoni (Bp.) 



RICHAKDSON'S OWL. 



Popular synonym. Sparrow Owl. 



m,U Ifiiuinaliiii Sw. & Rich. F. K.-A. 11.1831, ill. pi. s;. (loeCiMEL.).— Xutt. Man. 1. ixti 

 5S2.— AUB. Orn. BioK. iv. .V.'.i. pl.Ssii. 

 riiila letianialiDi AuD. Synoi>. 1829. 24; B. Am. 1. 184". 122. pi. !t2. 

 Xuctale richafilsoiii hOT:i\p. Comp. List. 1838, ".—Cass, in Baird's B. N. Am. 1858, 57.— 

 BAlltD. Cat. N. Am. B. 1859. No. .W. 

 Xyclalp lingmahni van richartlsnui Ridow.— COUES. Key. 1872, 205; Cheek List, 1874, 



No. a27; B. N. W. 1874, 313.-B. B. & R. Hist. N. Am. B. ill. 1874, 40, 

 A'w'/a?(' ti'tigiiialmi ric/tar</so>u' KiDOW.Nom. N.Am. B. I88I.N0. 40«.— CouES,2d Cheek 

 List, 1882, No, 482, 



Had. Northern North America; south, in winter, to New England (New Hampshire, 

 Massaehusetts, and Rhode Island). Wlseonsin, northern Illinois, and OroRon. 



Sp. Char. A'lult. Upper surface brownish olive or umber-brown. Forehead and 

 crown with numerous elliptleal ilimKitudinal) marks of white, feathers everywhere with 

 large partly eoneealed spots of the same; these spots largest on the neek and scapuhirs 

 —on the latter of a roundish form, the outer webs of those next the wing being almost 

 wholly white, the edge only brown; on the nape the spots form V-shnped marks, the spots 

 themselves l)eing somewhat pointed; below this is a transverse. -less distinct collar, of 

 more concealed spots; wing-coverts, toward the edge of the wing, with a few large, 

 nearly circular, white spots; secondaries with two transverse series of smaller white 

 spots, these crossing abotit the middle, remote from the end ami base; outer feathers of 

 the alula with two white spots along the margin; primary coverts plain; primaries with 

 four or live transverse series of white spots; tail with the same number of narrow trans- 

 verse spots, forming interrupted bands, the spots not touching the shaft- the last spot not 

 terminal. Facial circle much darker brown than the crown, and speckled with irregular 

 spots of white, these either median or upon only one web; across the throat the cirele 

 becomes paler brown, without the white spotting. Eyebrows and face grayish white; 

 lores and eyelids blackish. Lower parts white, becoming pale ochraeeous on the legs; 

 sides of the bren.st. sides, flanks, and lower tail-coverts with daubs of brown islightly 

 lighter and more redilish than on the back). those of the breast somewhat transverse. but 

 the posterior ones decidedly longitudinal; front of tarsus clouded with brown. Wing, 

 nliout 7.2": tail. 4.50; culmen, .(iO; tarsus. l.(W; middle toe. .97. 



