ACCIPITRES. 299 
Str. nyctea, L.; Le Harfang, Enl. 458; Wils. IV. xxxii. 1; 
Naum. 41. (The Snowy Owl). This bird almost equals the Grand 
Duc in size. Its snow-white plumage is marked with transverse 
brown spots, which disappear in proportion to its age. It inhabits 
the north of both continents, builds upon high rocks, and pursues 
Hares, Grouse, &c.* 
There are some species much smaller, such as 
Str. tengmalmi, Gm.; Str. dasypus, Bechst.; Naum. 48, f. 2 
and 3. Back brown, sprinkled with white spots; underneath paler, 
with larger white spots; four white lines across the tail; lives in the 
woods. The Str. passerina, Meyer and Wolf, is its female. 
The greater number, however, of these small species have only a few 
scattered hairs on the toes, such as 
Str. passerina, Gm.; Str. pygmea, Bechst. Enl. 439; Naum. 
48, 1. Somewhat smaller than the preceding, but with nearly the 
same plumage. The tail a little shorter, and with five larger pale 
bars; it often builds in old walls. There are several closely allied 
species in America, the Indies, &c.+ 
Stic of these naked-toed Noctuz are nearly as large as the Hulotte. 
Cayenne produces several beautiful species, and par ticularly the three fol- 
lowing :— 
Str. cayennensis, Gm.; Enl. 442. A fawn-coloured ground, 
irregularly, transversely, and finely striped with brown. 
Str. lineata, Sh.; the Huhul, Vaill. Afr. XLI; Str. lineata, Sh. ; 
Str. albomarginata, Spix, X. a. ‘Transversely striped with white on 
a black ground; four white lines on the tail. So little does it fear 
the light, that it is styled the Day Chouette. The size of these two 
species is that of the common chouette of France. 
Str. torquata, Daud.; Vaill. Afr. XLII. Brown above; whitish 
beneath; circumference of the eyes and a band on the breast, brown; 
the throat and eye-brows white. It is larger than the Str. aluco, L., 
and is the Nacurutu without tufts of Azzara. 
There are others again in America, whose tarsi are naked as well as 
their toes, as the Chevéche nudipéde for instance—Str. nudipes, Daud. 
Vieill. Amer. XVI. Finally, we have 
Scops, Savigny. 
Which, in addition to the prominent ears, imperfect disk and naked 
toes of the preceding, have tufts similar to those of the Bubo and Otus. 
There is one of them in France, Str. scops, Enl. 436; Naum. 
* The Chouette blanche, Vaill. Afric. 45, is only an old Harfang. The alleged 
difference in the proportions depends upon the stuffing. 
¢ Str. brama, 'T. Col. 68, which scarcely differs from ithe passerina.—Str. Sonnerati, 
T. Col. 1.—Str. urucurea, Ta. of which the Sér. grallaria, Id. Col. 136, is the female.— 
Str. castanoptera, Hoff. or Str. spadicea, Reinw. Col. 98.—Str. pumila, Ilig., or ca- 
bouré of Azz. Col. 39, of which the Str. passerinoides, Col. 344, is probably the male. 
—Str. ferruginea, Pr. Max. Col. 199.—Str. hirsuta, T. Col. 289.—Str. occipitalis.— 
The Str. maugei, Col. 46, is already tolerably large. 
