38 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



was indebted for the egg the parentage of which is so unquestionable. It is 

 purely white, almost globular, and, except in shape, hardly distinguishable 

 from the egg of the domestic Hen. It is 2.00 inches in length, and 1.69 in 

 breadth. 



Syrnium occidentale, Xantus. 



WESTEEN BAKRED OWL; SPOTTED OWL. 



Syrnium occidentale, Xantus, P. A. N. S. Philad. 1859, 193. — Baird, Birds N. Am. App. 

 pi. Ixvi. — CouES, Key, 1872, 204. 



Sp. Char. Adult (^, 17,200, Fort Tejon, California; J. Xantus. Type of Xantus's de- 

 scription). Above deep umber-brown, much as in S- nebulosum. Whole head and neck 



with circular and cordate spots of 

 white, one near the end of each 

 feather ; on the scapulars and back, 

 rump, wings, and tail, they are 

 rather sparse and more transverse, 

 but of very irregular form ; they 

 are most conspicuous on the 

 scapulars and larger wing-coverts. 

 Secondaries crossed with about 

 six bands of paler brown, each 

 spot growing white on the edge 

 of the feather, — the last band 

 terminal ; primaries with seven 

 transverse series of pale brown, 

 or brownish-white, quadrate spots 

 on outer webs, the last terminal ; 

 these spots are almost clear white 

 on the third, fourth, fifth, and 

 sixth quills. Tail with aljoiit 

 eight very narrow, rather obsolete, 

 bands of pale brown, growing 

 whiter and more distinct ter- 

 minally, the last forming a con- 

 spicuous terminal band. Ground- 

 color of the lower parts dull white, 

 somewhat tinged with ochraceous laterally ; everywhere with numerous transverse spots 

 and bars of brown like the back, — this predominating anteriorlj', the white forming spots 

 on opposite webs ; on the lower tail-coverts the transverse spots or bars are verj' sharply 

 defined and regular, the brown rather exceeding the white. Face, eyebrows, and lores 

 soiled brownish-white, the former with obscure concentric semicircles of darker brownish. 

 Facial circle blackish-brown, spotted posteriorly with white ; across the neck in front, it is 

 more broken. Legs white, with sparse obsolete transverse specks. Wing-formula, 4, 3, 

 5-6-2; 1=9. Wing, 13.10; tail, 9.00; culmen, .85; tarsus, 2.10; middle toe, 1.30. 

 Length, " 18 "; extent, " 40." 



Hab. Southern Middle Province of United States (Fort Tejon, California, Xantus ; 

 and Tucson, Arizona, Bendire). 



Syrnium occidentale. 



Habits. 



Nothing is on record concerning the habits of this bird. 



