BIRDS — SYRNINAE — NYCTALE ALBIFKONS. 



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Though of frequent occurrence in the States on the Atlantic, this species has not yet been 

 ohserved in the countries west of the Eocky mountains. The only specimen in the present 

 collection is from the Territory of Nebraska, and is of especial interest as demonstrating the 

 most western locality yet determined for this bird. 



List of specimens. 



NYCTALE, Brehm. 



J^yctttle, Brehm, Isis, 1828, p. 1271. 



Size small. Head with very small ear tufts, only observable when erected ; eyes small ; bill moderate or not very strong ; 

 facial disc nearly perfect. Wings rather long ; tail short ; legs and toes densely feathered. 



Contains five species of small and quite peculiar owls, four of which are American and one 

 European. 



NYCTALE EICHARDSONI, Bonaparte. 



J^yctale Richardsoni, Eonap. Comp. List, p. 7, (1838.) 



" Strix Tengmalmi, Gm." Aud. Orn. Biog. IV, p. 559, and other American authors. 



Figures. — Fauna Boreali .Americana, Birds, pi. 32 ; Add. B. of Am. pi. 380 : Oct. ed. I, pi. 32. 



The largest of this genus, wings long. Upper parts pale reddish brown tinged with olive, and with partially concealed spots 

 of white, most numerous on the head and neck behind, scapulars, and rump. Head in front with numerous spots of white ; face 

 white, with a spot of black in front of the eye ; throat with brown stripes. Under parts ashy white, with longitudinal stripes of 

 pale reddish brown ; legs and toes pale yellowish, nearly white, sometimes barred and spotted with brown. Quills brown, with 

 small spots of white on their outer edges and large spots of the same on their inner webs ; tail brown, every feather witli about 

 ten pairs of white spots ; bill light yellowish horn color ; irides yellow. 



Total length about lOi inches ; wing, 7J inches ; tail, 4J inches. 



Hab. — Northern North America, Canada, (Dr. Hall,) Wisconsin, (Dr. Hoy.) Spec, in Mus Acad. Philada. and Nat. Mus 

 Washington. 



Entirely a northern species, common at Hudson bay, but of rare occurrence within the limits 

 of the United States. The only notice of it as a western species is by Dr. Townsend, who gives 

 it as a bird of Oregon 



This species is nearly related to the European Nyctale funerea, and both have been called 

 Strix lengmalmi by various authors. 



NYCTALE ALBIFRONS, Shaw. 



Slr'uc albifrons, Shaw, Nat Misc. V. (not paged, 1794.) 



Strix frontalis, Lichtenstein, Trans. Acad. Berlin, 1838, p. 430. 



J^yelale Kirtlandii, Hot, Proc. Acad. Philada. VI, p. 210, (1852.) 



Figure-^.— Shaw Nat. Misc. V, pi. 171 ; Cassin B. of Cal. and Texas, I, pi. 11. 



Small, wing rather long ; tail short Head, upper portion of breast, and entire upper parts dark chocolate brown ; forehead 

 and eyebrows white. Throat and a line on each side running downwards from the base of the under mandible white ; other 



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