DR. J. J. KAUP'S MONOGRAPH OF THE STRIGID^E. 207 



Noctua acadica, Rich, and Sw. Fauna Bor. Am. Birds, p. 97. 



Scoiophilits acadicus, Sw. CI. of Birds, ii. 217. 



Ulula acadica, Aud. pi. 199. 



^trix passerina, WUs. pi. 34. i. ; Lichtenstein. 



Diagn. — Wings 131, tail 70 mm. long. 



Descr. — Smaller than the European N.funerea, and not so much spotted. The spots 

 on the head are smaller and longer. Back brownish, without spots. Tail with three 

 pairs of white spots. The first six wing-feathers have from one to four white marginal 

 spots. The under parts are white, with rufous-brownish shaft-spots, and large spots on 

 the sides. Bill black. 



Specimens of this bird are rare in collections. 



Hab. Northern parts of America. 



2. NyCTALE FUNEEE.i, Bp. 



Nyctale funerea, Bp. 



Strix funerea, Linn, (diagn., not the description). 



passerina, Pall. Zoogr. i. p. 323. 



• Tengmalmi, Gmel. Naum. t. 48. 2 & 3, adult and young. 



Noctua Tengmalmi, Cuv. 



Athene , Boie. 



Nyctale Tengmalmi, Bp. Geogr. Comp. p. 7. 



Strix dasypus, Bechst. Brehm's Beitr. p. 354 ; Gould, Birds of Eur. pi. 49. 



Diagn.— Wing 163, tail 100-103 mm. long. 



Descr. — Back with concealed white spots. Tail with five to six pairs of white spots, 

 _not reaching to the shafts. Under parts white, with obsolete rufous-brownish spots at 

 the bases and the ends of the feathers. Bill horn-brown, with yellow base. Weight 

 4-4| ounces. The young bird is dark brown, beneath fight grey, tinged with dark 

 brown ; on the throat and on the sides of the breast dark brown ; coverts of the wings 

 brown. 



We find this species thinly scattered through the northern parts of Germany in the 

 pine and mountain forests. Its voice is like the Athene noctua, and sounds " Keuw- 

 Keuw," after which follows three or four times " Kuick." The voice resembles very 

 much that of Otus vulgaris, but the sound is higher. In the spring it is very difficult 

 to discover any difference between the voices of these two species {Naumann). Its voice 

 then sounds more like a continual barking of dogs — " Wa-wa " {Brehm). In a cage it is 

 a perfect night bird at the commencement of its confinement, and in daylight seeks the 

 darkest corner ; but afterwards its habits are changed by the custom of feeding it only 

 during the day, and it becomes a day-owl. As it hops it lifts the tail high, and leaps 

 like an ape. If provoked, it knacks and bites with the bill. On a sudden surprise it 

 throws itself on its back directly, and defends itself with its projected legs, although 



VOL. IV. PART VI. 2 H 



