THE DOWNY OWLETS. 103 



toes distinguishes Nyctala from Syrnium^ as far as the British 

 avifauna is concerned. 



The Saw-whet Owl (Nyctala acadica) of North America has 

 been said to have occurred in Yorkshire, but the occurrence is 

 not considered genuine. 



i. TENGMALM'S OWL. NYCTALA TENGMALMI. 



Strix tengmalmi, Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 291 (1788); Seeb. Br. 



B. i. p. 164 (1883). 



Ulula tengmalmi) Macgill. Br. B. iii. p. 445 (1840). 

 Nyctala tengmalmi, Newt. ed. Yarr. Br. B. i. p. 154 (1872) ; 



Dresser, B. Eur. v. p. 319, pi. 313 (1872); Sharpe, Cat. 



B. Brit. Mus. ii. p. 284 (1875) ; B. O. U. List Br. B. p. 



88(1883); Saunders, Man. Br. B. p. 289(1889); Lilford, 



Col. Fig. Br. B. part xxx. (1895). 



(Plate XXXIX.} 



Adult Male. General colour above light brown, plentifully 

 spotted and mottled with white, especially on the scapulars, 

 where the white markings are very conspicuous ; fore-part and 

 sides of crown rather darker than the back, with numerous 



Skull of Tengmalm's Owl, to show the position of the ear-conches 

 (after Collett). 



triangular spots of white, with a "wig" of looser plumes on the 

 hind-neck, where the plumage is fuller, these parts being barred 

 with white ; the median and greater coverts with large oval 

 spots of white on the outer web; quills brown, tipped with 

 greyish, spotted on the outer web, and broadly notched on 



