502 RARE BRITISH BIRDS 



and tail, and further in the well-marked golden buff ring of feathers round the hind-neck, 

 [w. P. P. and T. w.] 



2. Distribution. This species breeds in the Western Mediterranean region, but the form 

 which is admitted to the British list is not that which inhabits the Iberian Peninsula and 

 Marocco (C. ruficollis ruficollis), but the race which breeds in Algeria and Tunisia (0. ruficollis 

 desertorum), and apparently winters in the Sahara. It has occurred once in England, 

 near Newcastle, October 5, 1856. [F. c. R. J.] 



EGYPTIAN-NIGHTJAR [Caprimulgus cegyptius Lichtenstein. German, cegyptischer Tag- 

 schldfer ; Italian, succiacapre algerino]. 



1. Description. Distinguished from other species of nightjars by its paler coloration and 

 the absence of white spots on the wings and tail. Sexes alike. Length 10 in. [254 mm.]. 

 General colour above sandy buff, minutely freckled all over with black, and with black and buff 

 arrowhead markings ; primaries brownish black, irregularly barred on the outer web with buff, 

 and very boldly toothed with white on the inner web ; all the feathers tipped with greyish buff, 

 freckled with black ; under surface of the body sandy buff, finely barred and minutely freckled 

 with black ; a spot of white on each side of the neck. [w. p. p. and T. w.] 



2. Distribution. The breeding range of this species embraces Turkestan, Afghanistan, 

 Baluchistan, East Persia, Mesopotamia, and apparently also Egypt, while it is represented by an 

 allied race in North Africa from the Nile westward, through the Libyan desert and the Sahara 

 to South Tunisia and S. Algeria. It is partly migratory, and probably the Turkestan birds 

 winter in Egypt. Has occurred as a casual visitor in Malta, Sicily, Heligoland, and once in 

 England, at Rainworth, Notts, June 23, 1883. [F. c. R. J.] 



THE OWLS 1 



[ORDER: Coraciiformes. FAMILY: Strigidce] 



DARKBREASTED BARN-OWL [Strix fldmmea guttdta Brehm ; Tyto alba guttata (Brehm). 

 Continental or Danish barn-owl. German, Schleiereule]. 



1. Description. Differs from the barn-owl (Strix flammea, see vol. ii. page 379) in that the 

 whole of the under parts are suffused with rich buff, and the spots on the chest and flanks are 

 more pronounced, [w. p. p. and T. w.] 



2. Distribution. This race of barn-owl breeds in Southern Sweden, Denmark, Germany, 

 except on the western border, where it interbreeds with the white-breasted form, Austro- 

 Hungary, and southward to the Alpine range. It is sedentary over a great part of its range, 

 but is probably an irregular migrant in the north, and at least thirteen occurrences are on 

 record from the east and south-east coasts of England, while many other records probably refer 

 to this form. [F. c. R. J.] 



TENGMALM S OWL [JEgolius tengmdlmi (Gmelin) ; Nyctala tengmdlmi (Gmelin). French, 

 chouette Tengmalm ; German, Tengmalm's-Kauz ; Italian, civetta capogrosso]. 



1. Description. Recognised by its small size, by the absence of ear- tufts, and the toes 

 which are feathered down to the claws. Sexes alike, except that the female is a little larger. 

 Length 10 in. [254 mm.]. General colour above, including the wings, dull chocolate-brown, 

 thickly mottled all over with white, especially on the forehead, where the markings take more 

 the form of white ovals ; tail similarly coloured, but with five narrow crossbars of white ; 



1 VoL ii. p. 379. 



