NAKED-FOOTED NIGHT OWL. 275 



better with our last species. There seems to be 

 little doubt, again, that the bird described by 

 Nilson is identical with the passerina of moderns, 

 and on this account we would prefer retaining for 

 this the title " nudipes" reserving the other for 

 the small European species, which, we believe, 

 has not yet been recorded as kille'd in Great 

 Britain or Ireland. 



On comparing the woodcuts which we have 

 given of the parts of N. Tengmalmi with those 

 illustrating this description, it will be seen that 

 there is a very marked difference, sufficiently so to 

 render the birds generically distinct ; and in this 

 case, perhaps the proposed term of Scotophilm, 

 applied by Mr Swainson, might be used to desig- 

 nate either the true Noctuce, of which we have 

 placed N. Tengmalmi typical, or be given, as 

 we have now done, to those of similar form with 

 the bird we are describing. 



The principal distinction of form in these birds 

 is the imperfect disk and ruff of nudipes^ and the 

 small conchal opening. The annexed sketch will 

 shew the comparative size in the two species, but 

 being drawn from dried specimens, may not be 

 quite correct in form. The legs and feet of Teng- 

 malmi are covered to the very claws with thick 

 and soft downy feathers, while in nudipes the tarsi 

 are more lengthened, the feathering more depressed 

 and less downy, and it ceases at the junction of 

 the tarsus with the toes, the latter being only 



