Mr. Selby's Catalogue of Birds. 249 



At the time the figures of the British Strigidae, were published in the " Illustrations of 

 British Ornithology" I had not been able to make the necessary comparison between the 

 closely allied species, Noctua Tengmalmi, and Noctua passerina, and in consequence I have 

 attached the synonymes of the true Strix passerina of authors, to a bird, which, upon fur- 

 ther investigation, proves to be the Strix Tengmalmi of Temminck and others. The spe- 

 cimen, from which my figure was taken, and which still remains in my collection, was killed 

 near to Morpeth, in 1812, a fact, however, which also entitles it to be placed upon the list 

 of our native Fauna, as an occasional visitant. It differs from Noctua passerina, in having 

 the plumage of the upper parts of the body of a deeper brown, the tail considerably longer, 

 compared with the length of the wings, a black mark between the bill and the eyes, and the 

 legs and toes thickly clothed with soft downy feathers. 



Subfam. Asionina. 

 Genus OTUS. HORN OWL. 



19. OTUS VULGARIS. LONG-EARED HORN-OWL. 



Otus vulgaris, Flemm. Br. Anim. 

 Strix Otus, Linn., Lath., &c. 

 Hibou moyen Due, Temm. Man. d'Ornith. 



Long-eared Owl, Br. Zool., Lath. Syn., Mont. Ornith. Diet., Bewick's Br. Birds, Selby's 

 lUus. Br. Orn. 



A common species, and very generally dispersed in all wooded districts. 



20. OTUS BRACHYOTOS. SHORT-EARED HORN-OWL. 



Otus brachyotos, Flemm. Br. Anim. 

 Strix brachyotos, Linn., Lath. 

 Hibou brachiote, Temm. Man. d'Ornith. 



Short-eared Owl, Br. Zool., Lath. Syn., Mont. Ornith. Diet., BewicKs Br. Birds, Selby's 

 lUus. Br. Orn. 



Common during the period of their migrations. I am inclined to think, that a few pairs 

 occasionally breed upon the higher Moors in Northumberland, as I have repeatedly met 

 with old birds during the summer months, and also on the 12th of August, at which time 

 they were in the moult. Sir. Wm. Jardine has ascertained that they breed annually in cer- 

 tain mosses, upon the moors in Dumfries-shire. 



Subfam. Strigina. 

 Genus SYRNIUM. HOWLET. 



21. SYRNIUM ALUCO. TAWNY HOWLET. 



Strix stridula, Flemm. Br. Anim., Selby's lUus. Br. Orn. 

 Chouette hulotte, Temm. Man. d'Ornith. 



r Strix Aluco, Linn., Lath. 

 Male. J Aluco, Will. 



(^ Brown Owl, Penn. Br. Zool. 

 Female. / Strix stridula, Linn., Lath. &c. 



\ Tawny Owl, Br. Zool., Lath. Syn., Mont. &c. 

 Common in all wooded districts. 



