314 NYCTALE TENGMALMI VAK. EICHAEDSONI. 



Noctita tengmalmi, Cuv., R. A. i, 1829, 549.— Less., Tr. Orn. 1831, 102.— Selby, Brit. Orn. 



2cl ed. i, 105, pi. 26.— Jard., Brit. Birds, i, •i/O.- Jen., Man. 1835, 94. 

 JEgolms tengmalmi, Kaup, Sk. Ent. Eur. Th. 1829, 34. 



Vlnla tengmalmi, Bp., Osw. Cuv. R. A. 53; Isis, 1833, 1052.— Macgil., Brit. Birds, iii, 445. 

 ScotopMlus tenqmalmi, Sw., Classif. B. ii, 217. 

 Nyctale tenqmalmi, Bp., List, 1838. 7.— Gray, Gen. of B. i, 40.— Keys & Blas., Wirlo. 



Eur. 1840, 32.— Strickl., Orn. Syn. 1855, 175. 

 " Strix funci-m, Linn., Fn. Suec. 25" (Gray). 

 Nyetale funi-n-a, Bp., Cat. Ucc. Eur. 1842, 24 ; Consp. Av. 1850, 54.— Gray, Cat. B. Brit. 



Mus. 94; List Brit. Birds, 1883, 22.— Kaup, Mon. Strig. Cout. Orn. 1852, 104. 

 "Sirix passwiiia, Meyer, Zool. Ann. i, 333. — Pall., Zoofj. R. A. i, 323." 

 Strix dasypins, Bechst., Naturg. Deut. ii, 972.— Meyer, Tascli. i, 82; Naturg. vi, pi. 2; 



Vog. Liv. Esthl. 37. 

 Kyciale dnsjipus, Gray', Gen. of B. 

 Nyctale plaiiiaps, pinetorum et ahietum, Breiim, V. D. 1831, 112, 113. 



b. richardsoni. 



(?) Strix pass('ri}ia, FoEST., Phil. Trans. Ixii, 1772, 385 (Penn. Arot. Zool. ii, Suppl. 60.) 



,s7)i.c tengmalmi, Sw. & Rich., F. B. A. ii, 1831, 94, pi. 82 (not of authors).- NuTT., Man. 

 i, 1834, 562.— AuD., Orn. Bios- iv, 559, pi. 380.— Peau., Rep, Oni. Mass. 91. 



Kyciale tengmalmi, Dall & Bann., Tr. Chic. Acad, i, 1869, 273 (Alaska). — Allen, Am. 

 Hat. iii, 1870, 646 (Massachusetts, ti ree instances). 



Nyctale lenqmalmi var. richardsoni, RiDGW., Am. Nat. vi, 1872, 285.— CouES, Key, 1872, 

 205.— B. B. & R., N. A. B. iii, 1874, 40. 



VMa tengmalmi, AuD., Syn. 1839, 24 ; B. Am. i, 1840, 122, pi. 32.— Putn., Pr. Ess. Inst, 

 i, 1856, 22ii (Massachusetts).- ?Trippe, ibid, vi, 1871, ]13 (Minnesota). 



Nyctale richardsoni, Bp., Comp. List, 1838, 7; Consp. i, 1850, 64. — Kaup, Mon. Strig. 

 Cnnt. Orn. 1852, 105.— Cass., 111. i, 1854, 185.— Strickl., Orn. Syn. 18.15, 176.— 

 Brew., N. Am. Ool. 1857, 73.— Bd., B. N. A. 18.58, 57.— Boardm., Pr. Bost. Soi'. 

 ix, 1862, 123 (Maine, probably resident, not common). — Vekr., Pr. Es.s. Inst, 

 iii, 1862, 157 (Maine). — Allen, ibid, iv, 1864, 52 (Massachusetts, rare, in win- 

 ter). — McIlwr., ibid. V, 1866. 82 (Canada West, rave, in winter).— CoUES, ibid. 

 V, 1868, 260 (New England).— Mayn., Nat. Guide, 1870, 133 (Mas.saohusetts).— 

 Hatch, Bull. Minn. Acad, i, 1874, 52 (Minnesota, occasionally, in winter). 



Nyctala richardsoni, Gray., Hand-list, i, 1869, 51, No. 555. 



Hab. — The typical form from Europe, Asia, and Northern Mrica. Var. richardsoni 

 from Northern North America ; south regularly to the United States frontier ; in winter 

 rarely through New England, beyond which no record on the Atlantic. Northern 

 Ohio ( Winslow). 



Having been at first considered the same as its European representa- 

 tive, and afterward held to be a distinct species, this interesting Owl 

 baa at length settled into its true position as a geographical race of 1^. 

 tengmalmi of Europe, as ascertained by Mr. Eidgway's studies. It difters 

 from its congener, just as the American Hawk Owl does, in an excess 

 of darker colors ; the legs being ochrey-brown, much variegated with 

 darker, instead of white, with little marking; and there is more dark 

 color on the crissum. It is, perhaps, the most decidedly boreal of our 

 species of the family ; for although it does not range further north than 

 some, such as the Hawk Owl, the Snowy, and the Great Gray Owl, its 

 southern limit is more restricted. It has never been observed as far 

 south as all of the three just mentioned are known to range in winter. 

 On the Atlantic coast T find no record for Pennsylvania or IsTevv' Jersey, 

 though it is stated to have been procured in Connecticut by Dr. W. 

 W. Wood, while Mr. Allen gives several instances of its capture in Massa- 

 chusetts. In Maine, according to Mr. Boardman, it is resident; it has 

 been noticed in Wisconsin by Dr. Hoy, and the queried Minnesotan 

 record, by Mr. Trippe, is doubtless correct, as it has been lately checked 

 by Dr. Hatch. Sir John Richardson speaks of its very great abundance 

 in the region of the Saskatchewan, whence it undoubtedly visits the 

 Upper Missouri in winter. 



Owls of this genus are among the most perfectly nocturnal birds of 

 the family, and appear confined to wooded regions. The food is princi- 



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