142 A HANDBOOK OF EUROPEAN BIRDS. 
with whitish ; in the latter, those bars are vermiculated with 
pale brown ; face greyish-whgge, narrowly, but concentrically 
barred with dark brown ; region immediately surrounding eyes 
and chin blackish ; under parts white, entirely streaked with 
dusky brown; eyes greyish, barred regularly with brown ; bill 
yellowish-horn colour; irides pale yellow. Length 27 to 28 
daches ; culmen 3°93; wing “187 to °1S'75 ; ‘tail S2°5 te Tee 
tarsus 2°55. 
Nestling: Considerably darker throughout than adults, 
especially dark on head, under parts closely barred with dark 
brown. 
Distribution: Resident in North-eastern Europe, occa- 
sionally occurring in Central Europe. 
Habitat: Dense pine forests. 
Genus NYCTEA. 
SNOWY OWL. “ 
Nyctea scandiaca (Lznz). 
Adult Male: Entire plumage w/ite, the “As of a few 
feathers of upper parts dlackish-brown ; bill and claws black ; 
feet covered by long feathers ; irides yellow. Length 20 to 22 
mehés ; culmén'1*25; wing 16 to 16°75; tail 9 109-75 3 tarsus 
aos. 
peananse : Considerably larger. 
Nestling : Covered by dense sooty-brown down, and show- 
ing white patches of feathers in various parts of the body. 
Immature Birds: Upper and under parts conspicuously 
barred, or spotted with dark brown ; tail-feathers broadly barred ; 
lower abdomen, legs and feet pure white. 
Distribution: Resident in the extreme north of the Pale- 
arctic and Nearctic regions, occurring further south in winter. 
Habitat: Barren fells or tundras. 
Genus SURNIA. 
HAWK OWL. ws 
Surnia ulula (Zznz). 
Adult : Above dark brown, blotched, spotted and barred 
