284 



issued, without letterpress, in Sparrman's ' Svensk Ornithologie,' of which one part appears to 

 have been published in 1806. 



Amongst the synonyms I have included Strix microphthalmos of Tyzenhauza, without, how- 

 ever, having been able to consult his ' Ornithologia Powszechna.' I may, however, add that 

 Mr. Taczanowski, in a letter to me respecting this Owl, says that it was first described and figured 

 under that name in the annals of the "Warsaw Society in 1829 (!); but he fails to give me the 

 exact reference. Mr. Sharpe, I observe, in his synonymy of the present species (Cat. Strig. Brit. 

 Mus. p. 254) includes Strix fuliginosa, Shaw, Gen. Zool. vii. p. 245 ; but this name was certainly 

 founded on the Sooty Owl of Pennant, and Cinereous Owl of Latham, and it must therefore be 

 placed amongst the synonyms of Syrnium cinereum (Gmel.). 



The American representative of the present species {Syrnium cinereum) has by many authors 

 been united with the Lapp Owl ; but I quite agree with my friend Mr. Sharpe in keeping them 

 apart. I have compared several specimens from America with the series from Lapland ; and I 

 find that the American bird is much darker, and the streaks on the breast are much less distinctly 

 defined. One may call the markings on the American bird white on a brown ground, the 

 brown colour greatly predominating ; whereas in the European bird they are brown on a white 

 ground, the latter colour predominating. The European bird has also a white patch at the 

 base of the primaries, on the under surface of the wing, caused by the white bars being much 

 broader than in Syrnium cinereum. This American form inhabits Arctic America, being very 

 rarely met with in the United States, and only in winter. 



The specimens figured are the adult and young birds above described, the former of which 

 is in my own collection ; and for the loan of the latter I am indebted to Dr. Otto Finsch. 



In the preparation of the above article I have examined the following specimens : — 



E Mus. H. E. Dresser. 



a, 5 ad. Skara, Sweden, March 6th, 1870 (W. Meves). b, <S . Archangel (Piottuch). 



E Mus. Norv. 



a, 6 . Nullusj'arvi, Finnish Lapland, b, $ . Peldouoma, Finnish Lapland, c. Palajoki. d, e. Kurkiovaara, 

 Finnish Lapland. /. Sallanki. g. Kuru. h, i, k, I. Kourlukko. m. Finnish Lapland [all collected by 

 the late J. Wolley) . 



E Mus. Dr. 0. Finsch. 

 a, pull. Sarai-Gor, river Ob, July 10th, 1876 (0. F.). 



