NYCTALE TENGMALMI VAR. EICHARDSONI. 313 



its talons, sometimes meeting death in the rashness of its onslaught. 

 When wounded it displays similar courage, boldly facing the enemy 

 and preparing to defend itself with all its might — "calmly and silently 

 it maintains its ground, or springs from a short distance on ity foe. So, 

 bravely it dies, without a thought of glory and without a chance of 

 fame ; for of its kind there are no cowards." 



" This species is seldom met with except in the arctic regions. Occa- 

 sionally, during severe winters, it is driven as far south as the latitude 

 of Philadelphia, owing to a scarcity of food in its natural haunts. Sam- 

 uels affirms that he 'has known several specimens to be taken in Ver- 

 mont and New Hampshire,' and expresses the belief that it builds 

 occasionally in the New England States. The writer and a very inti- 

 mate friend of his, who is a taxidermist, ha\ e taken specimens as early 

 as the middle of October. In the former's collection is a beautiful sjieci- 

 men of a female that was shot on the 15th day of last October, the tlier- 

 mometer indicating a rather high temperature at the time. It was shot 

 in the middle of the day, while careering hawk-like through the air, 

 doubtless in quest of the liekl-niouse, which is found in meadow grounds 

 in profusion, and which it prizes most assuredly as one of its daintiest 

 morsels. 



"The southern appearance of individuals on many occasions, so early 

 in the fall, in rather mild weather, leads to the supposition that it is 

 either a summer resident in small numbers, and performs the essential 

 duties of nidiflcation and incubation here['?], or else, having attended to 

 these important concerns in more northern climes, journeys southward, . 

 where it meets with a temi)eratare which it has recently learned to re- 

 gard as more congenial than the rigors of an arctic autumn. The 

 writer is sanguine of the discovery of nests in this latitude. Like many 

 birds on their entrance into a new territory, this species may be shy 

 and reserved, and consequently nidificates in out-of-the-way situations. 

 Familiarity with the country and its denizens, acquired by a lew years' 

 occupancy, may operate in the production of changes of habils and dis- 

 position. Distrustfulness will undoubtedly give place to confidence, 

 and more of its history will be known. 



"It is said by some writers that the species is crepuscidar rather than 

 nocturnal. The writer's experience has been thefornier. There is no donbt 

 that it frequently hunts in the twilight; but the movements of the bird 

 during the day-time, both in watching for its prey and in its capture, are 

 certain evidence to his mind of the truth of the assertion. While on 

 the alert for its prey, it stations itself upon the topmost bough of a tree, 

 and, as soon as the object of its desire comes in view, pounces down uijon 

 it like a hawk, and bears it away to devour it at its leisure. Frequently 

 it goes abroad in search of prey, skimming above meadows and low 

 fields, at a slight elevation, until its object is secured." — [Gentry.) 



A 



NYCTALE TENGMALMI var. EICHARDSONI, (Bp.) Eidgw.-K- w^J-^ 

 RicUardson's Owl. 



a. tengmahni. 



Stiix noctuu, Texg., Act. Stockli. i, 1783. - ^ 



Strlx Icnqmalmi, Gsi., i, 291.— Lath., i, 64.— Daud., ii, 205.— Shaw, G. Z. vii, 1R09, 267.— Jvj£^ 

 Tj;mji., Man. 1S15, 54 ; i, 94 ; i», 49.— Vieili.., Gal. i, pi. 23 ; Pn. Frauf. 48, pi. a '^"^ 

 ■S.',, f. 1.— Nau:\[., V. D. i, 18;i-2, 501, pi. 48, f. 2, 3.— Degl., Orn. Eur. i, 134.— '*«if ./t^-J 

 SCHI,., Rev. Crit. 1844, 15. 

 Athene tengmahni, Boie, Isis, 1822, 771. 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



