300 HISTORY OF THE 



GEXUS NYCTALA BKKHM. 



"Size small. Head very large, without ear tufts. Eyes moderate; iris yel- 

 low. Two outer primaries only with their inner -webs distinctly emarginated. 

 Tarsi and toes densely, but closely, feathered. Ear conch very large, nearly as 

 high as the skull, with an anterior operculum; the two ears exceedingly asym- 

 metrical, not only externally, but in their osteological structure. Forcula not 

 anchylosed posteriorly, but joined by a membrane." 



Nyctala acadica (GMET,.). 



SAW- WHET OWL. 

 PLATE XX. 



A winter sojourner; rather rare. 



B. 56, 57. R. 401. C. 483. G. 185, 141. U. 372. 



HABITAT. The United States and southern British posses- 

 sions, from the Atlantic to the Pacific; seldom found in the 

 eastern portion south of Pennsylvania; in the western mountain 

 regions south into Mexico; breeding from the middle United 

 States northward. 



SP. CHAR. "Adult: Upper surface, plain soft reddish olive, almost exactly 

 as in N. richardsoni; forehead, anterior part of the crown and the facial circle 

 with each feather with a short medial line of white; feathers of the neck white 

 beneath the surface, forming a collar of blotches; lower webs of scapulars white 

 bordered with brown; wing coVerts with a few rounded spots; alula with the 

 outer feathers broadly edged with white; primary coverts and secondaries per- 

 fectly plain; five outer primaries with semi-rounded white spots on the outer 

 webs, these decreasing toward the ends of the feathers, leaving but about four 

 series well defined; tail crossed with three widely separated narrow bauds of 

 white, formed of spots not touching the shafts on either web; the last baud is 

 terminal; 'eyebrow' and sides of the throat white; lores with a blackish suffu- 

 sion, this more concentrated around the eye; face dirty white, feathers indis- 

 tinctly edged with brownish, causing an obsoletely streaked appearance; the 

 facial circle in its extension across the throat is converted into reddish umber 

 spots; lower parts, generally, silky white, becoming fine ochraceous on the tibia 

 and tarsi; sides of the breast like the back, but of more reddish or burnt sienna 

 tint; sides and flanks with longitudinal daubs of the same; jugulum, abdomen, 

 lower tail coverts, tarsi and tibia immaculate. Young: Upper surface continu- 

 ous plain dark sepia olive; face darker, approaching fuliginous Vandyke, per- 

 fectly uniform; around edge of the forehead, a few shaft lines of white; scapu- 

 lars with a concealed spot of pale ochraceous on lower web; lower feathers of 

 wing coverts with a few white spots; outer feathers of the alula scalloped with 

 white; primary coverts perfectly plain; five outer primaries with white spots on 

 outer webs, these diminishing toward the end of the feathers, leaving only two 

 or three series well-defined; tail darker than the wings, with three narrow bands 

 composed of white spots, these not touching shaft on either web; 'eyebrows' 

 immaculate white; lores more dusky; face and eyelids dark Vandyke brown; 



