438 Mr. Vigors's Sketches in Oinilhology, 



fers in many material particulars from the foregoing. It is curious 

 that M. Brisson's two species, his j^. talon Carolinenais, and yE*. 

 Dominicensisy which have been united into one species by later 

 writers, have respectively some of the distinguishing characters of 

 F. Sparveriuides, the former having for instance the same charac- 

 ters of the tall, the latter those of the head. No naturalist pos- 

 sessed more tact in the discrimination of species than iM. Hrisson, 

 and I have much doubt in the present case whether he was not 

 much more near the truth in separating the two species, than his 

 followers were in uniting them. On the whole I have some reason 

 to think, even from the scanty materials at present within our 

 reach, that at least three distinct species have been united under 

 the name of F. Sparverius. The naturalists now so zealous in 

 investigating the ornithology of America will no doubt solve these 

 points. 



5. Strix Flammea. Linn.y I. p. 133. no. 8. 



White Owl. Lath., Gen. Hist. I. p. 355. no. 56. 



L'Effraie ou la Fresaye. PL Enl. 440. 

 This species, so familiar to us in Europe, is described * by 

 Wilson as an inhabitant of the United States. The specimen from 

 Cuba differs in no material respect from our own. The colour is 

 somewhat darker, particularly on the margin of the disk, and 

 partial variations appear in the brownish spots on the nape, and in 

 other places. Our European specimens however vary in all these 

 respects. The tail is decidedly even. I cannot therefore refer 

 the birds now before me to M. Temminck's species, Strix furcatay 

 [PI. Col. 432] which has been described as belonging to Cuba, 

 and in which the cliief distinction from Str. Jlammea consists ia 

 the tail being forked. 



6. Sthix occiriTALis. Temm. 



Chouctte occipitale. /</., Pi. Col. 34. 



Am. Oni. \..l. \1. \>. G7. 



