BIRDS—SYRNINAE—NYCTALE ALBIFRONS, yt 
Though of frequent occurrence in the States on the Atlantic, this species has not yet been 
observed in the countries west of the Rocky 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. 
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| | | | | 
NYCTALE, Brehm. 
Nyctale, BreEuM, 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 RICHARDSONI, Bonaparte. 
Nyctale Richardsoni, Bonar. Comp. List, p. 7, (1838.) 
“Strix Tengmalmi, Gu.’’ Aud. Orn. Biog. IV, p. 559, and other American authors. 
Ficures.—Fauna Boreali Americana, Birds, pl. 32; Avup. B. of Am. pl. 380: Oct. ed. I, pl. 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 with about 
ten pairs of white spots ; bill light yellowish horn color ; irides yellow. 
Total length about 104 inches ; wing, 74 inches ; tail, 44 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 Tengmalmi by various authors. 
NYCTALE ALBIFRONS, Shaw. 
Strix albifrons, Suaw, Nat. Misc. V. (not paged, 1794.) 
Strix frontalis, Licutenstew, Trans. Acad. Berlin, 1838, p. 430. 
Nyctale Kirtlandii, Hoy, Proc. Acad. Philada. V1, p- 210, (1852.) 
Fieures.—Shaw Nat. Misc. V, pl. 171; Cassin B. of Cal. and Texas, I, pl. 11. 
Small, wing rather long ; tail short. Head, upper portion of breast, and entire upper parts dark chocolate brown ; forehead 
and eyebrows white. Throat anda line on each side running downwards from the base of the under mandible white ; other 
8b 
