638 



SYSTEMA TIC SYNOPSIS. — RAPTORES— STRIGES. 



dark browu speckled with white. The general tone of the brown is oftenest ruddy, nearly as 

 in acadica, but sometimes dark and pure. Length 10.00-12.00 ; extent 24.00 ; wing 7.00 ; tail 

 4.50; tarsus 1.00; middle toe without claw 0.G7 ; culinen without cere 0.60. Young: Upper 

 parts plain brown, lacking the white spots of the adults, except on the wings and tail; f<\cial 

 area dark, unmarked, except by a white superciliary streak; lower parts plain brownish, fad- 

 ing posteriorly into buff, unmarked ; difference from the adult thus as in acadica. Distin- 

 guished from the European conspecies (fig. 436) by its darker coloration, ochrey feet spotted 

 with brown instead of being nearly immaculate white, and more heavily streaked under tail- 

 coverts; the difference in coloration from tengmalmi proper being thus closely correspondent 

 with that between the American and European Hawk Owls. This fine species inhabits North- 

 ern N. Am., being seldom seen in the U. S., where only known in winter and not farther south 

 than New England, Wisconsin, northern Ohio, Colorado, and Oregon, though it is possibly 

 resident in northern Maine, like the Hawk Owl; breeding range from just beyond our N. 

 border northward to the limit of trees. The nest is in a tree, usually in a hole, sometimes 

 among the branches ; eggs 2 to 6 or 7 in number ; size 1.20 X 1-05, thus very round ; laid from 

 late in April to early in June. The bird feeds mostly upon very small mammals and insects. 

 N. aca'dica. (Lat. acadica, of Acadia.) Acadian Owl. Saw-whet Owl. White- 

 fronted Owl. Kirtland's Owl. Adult : Upper parts, including wings and tail, very 



similar to those of the last species, but usually 

 ruddier brown, the spotting less extensive, the 

 marks on top of head pencilled in delicate shaft- 

 lines instead of round spots, those of wings and 

 tail exactly as in richardsoni. Under parts white, 

 diffusely streaked or dappled with a peculiar light 

 brown, almost pinkish-brown. Feet immaculate 

 whitish, tinged with buff. Facial disc mostly 

 white, but blackened immediately about eye and 

 on loral bristles, and pencilled with dusky on 

 auriculars ; set in a frame of color of back, touched 

 with white points behind ear ; this frame distinct 

 on throat, where it separates white of the disc from 

 a white jugular (H)llar, before the pectoral streaks 

 begin. Bill black ; claws dark ; eyes yellow. 

 Y(nmg quite different (iV. albifrons) : Above, 

 ruddy chocolate-brown, without any spots ; wings 

 and tail more fnscous brown, marked substantially 

 as in the adults. Below, color of back extending 

 over all fore parts, the rest brownish-yellow ; no 

 streaks whatever. Facial disc sooty-brown, with 

 whitish eyebrow ; some white touches on the rim behind ear curving forward to chin. Bill 

 black. Length 7.50-8.00 ; extent 17.00-18.00 ; wing 5.25-5.75 ; tail 2.60-2.90 ; tarsus 0.75 ; 

 bill without cere 0.50 ; middle toe without claw 0.60. This curious little Owl, the most 

 diminutive species found in Eastern N. Am., inhabits the U. S. from Atlantic to Pacific, goes 

 N. to lat. 52° in British Am., and S. into Mexico. Though common and generally distributed, 

 it is not very well known, as it is sliy and retiring, perfectly nocturnal in habits, and does not 

 often come under casual observation ; in regions E. of the Mississippi Valley it is most fre- 

 quently found in the N. half of the U. S., but in the Rocky Mts. ranges throughout; it is a 

 wood Owl, seldom if ever occurring in open country. It is chiefly noted for its shrill notes, 

 which, being likened to filing a saw, have occasioned its name. The nest is usually made in 

 the hollow of a tree or stump, as a Woodpecker's or squirrel's hole, but sometimes the bird has 



Fig. 430. — Tengmalm's European Saw-wiiet Owl 

 very near richardsoni. ^ uat. size. (From Brehin.) 



