NEW BIRDS FROM EASTERN ASIA— CLARK. 471 



SYRNIUM MA" Clark, new species. 



Type.^Cnt. No. 114439 U.S.N.M.; female, Fiisaii, Korea; P. L. 

 eTouy, collector. 



Somewhat resembles S. aluco from Norway in the gray phase, but 

 very much grayer with no trace of rufous, the wing coverts brownish 

 gray instead of reddish brown; the head is brownish gray with a 

 broken line of white from the base of the bill over the eye to the nape 

 on either side, due to the presence of large white spots on each feather 

 in this region. The nape, hind neck, and sides of the neck are spotted 

 and mottled with white, the central dark areas of the feathers 

 imparting a streaked appearance. The facial disc is as in S. aluco, 

 but more uniformly gray, with no trace of rufous. The underparts 

 are marked as in S. aluco, but the ground color is white, and the 

 streaks and vermiculations brownish gray. The under wing coverts 

 are white, more heavily streaked with brown than in S. aluco, and 

 the feet are much more heavily barred than in that species. The 

 first primary is 25 mm. longer than the same feather in 8. aluco, 

 equalling the ninth in length; the fifth primary is the longest, the 

 fourth nearly as long, the third somewhat shorter, and the second 

 intermediate between the fiftli and seventh. 



The type measures, wing, 297 mm. ; tail, 192 mm. ; tarsus, 57 mm. 



SYRNIUM URALENSE JAPONICUM Clark, new subspecies. 



Type. — Cat. No. 96393 U.S.N.M.; female, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 

 October 18, 1882. 



Although this and the following form are here described for the first 

 time, the credit for pointing them out really belongs to Doctor 

 Stejneger, for as long ago as 1893^ he showed that they.diftered from 

 the continental form, and also difl^ered among themselves, although 

 he did not name them. 



Four specimens of the owl commonly referred to by writers dealing 

 with Japanese oi'nithology as Syrnium uralense prove to belong to a 

 well-marked subspecies, characterized by much smaller size and more 

 heavily feathered toes, the feathering concealing the last joint and 

 the base of the claws. The birds are uniform in coloration and are 

 very pale, much paler tluin a bird from Romedal, Norway, before 

 me, resembling a bird la]:)eled as from northern Europe. 



A male measures, wing, 267 mm.; tail, 200 mm. (much abraded). 



Three females average, wing, 295 mm.; tail, 243 mm. 



All the specimens are from the island of Hokkaido. 



aMa=eU; gnome (Japanese). '>Pi'oc. U. S. Nat. Muh., XVI, p. 62fi. 



