OWLS-WOODPECKEKS. 275 



are very unlike the old birds. The whole colour dark sooty 

 brown, the white spots very faint and indistinct. 



This little owl has a wide breeding range in Scandinavia, 

 at least from South Wermland to far up within the Polar 

 circle, and has even been met with in winter in the extreme 

 south. Only accidental in Denmark, but in Finland, next to 

 the hawk owl, is the commonest of all the owls. The eggs 

 six, coarse textured, rather elongated ; are always laid in a 

 hollow tree, about April ; usual size If- by 1 in. 



33. S. FLAMMEA, Gm. Torn Uggla. The White Owl. D. 

 Wings longer than the tail ; iris dark brown ; length 

 14 in. ; colour, upper parts ash grey, finely watered 

 and marked, with very small black and white spots ; 

 under parts rusty yellow, with very small black spots. 

 An accidental specimen was shot from the mast of a ship 

 in Ystad harbour, South Sweden, in 1834, and on this 

 account the bird has been added to the Scandinavian fauna. 

 Not known in Finland, and rare in Denmark. 



OEDEE 2.SYLYICOLJE, Yeil. 



This is by far the most comprehensive order in the whole 

 class of birds, and perhaps the hardest to divide. We can- 

 not do more in this limited space, than define the birds be- 

 longing to this order generally as having feet formed for 

 perching, with claws not adapted to tear asunder their 

 prey, and beaks without a naked cere, as in the last. I do 

 not consider Nilsson's arrangement of this order as by any 

 means the best, but as I follow his arrangement throughout, 

 I adopt it here. 



1st Sub-Order, Zygodactyli. Two toes in front, and 

 (except in very exceptional cases) two behind. 



Scansores. Climbers. 

 Fam. 1. PicnxE. WOODPECKERS. 



Gren. Picus. 

 Beak long, wedge-shaped; tail (except in the wryneck) 



