612 SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS.— BAPTOBES— STEIGES. 



the side of the neck, separated by a whitish interval ; the edges of the eyelids, many of the 

 loral bristles, a line just in front of the eye, and a chin-spot, are black or dusky ; the lower 

 part of the disc below the ears has also dusky streaks. The exposed part of the bill is bright 

 yellow, as said, but most of that hidden by the bristles is of a dark livid color. However vari- 

 able in detail, the markings of this species are unmistakable ; those about the head are better 

 defined than in most owls, and quite peculiar. Length 15.00 ; extent 33.00 ; wing about 

 9.00 ; tail about 7.00 ; tarsus, or middle toe without claw, 1.00 or less ; culmen without cere 

 0.75. A handsome and spirited owl, abundant in northern portions of N. Am., S. into 

 northern U. S. in winter, frequently and regularly ; apparently resident in Maine. Like the 

 snowy owl, it endures the rigors of Arctic winters. Nest usually in trees, sometimes on rooks 

 or stumps, of sticks, mosses, grasses, and feathers; eggs 4-7, April, May, about 1.55 X 1.25, 

 whitish. The food of this species seems to be chiefly field-mice and other small rodents, 

 hawked for in broad daylight, this owl being apparently the least nocturnal of its tribe. 

 481* S. f . u'lula. (Lat. ulula, a screech owl.) Eukopean Hawk Owl. Lighter-colored speci- 

 mens fi:om Alaska have been considered to represent this variety, just as darker-colored ones, 

 from the British Islands, have been referred to the preceding variety. 

 167. NYC'TALA. (Gr. vvktoKos, nuMalos,< sleepy.) Saw- WHET Owls. Skull and ear-parts 

 highly unsymmetrical, the latter of great size, and fully operculate. Head very large (as in 

 Strix), without plumicorns ; facial disc complete, with centric eye. Nostril at edge of the cere, 

 which is infiated or not. Tail from ito |- as long as the wing, rounded. Third and 4th primaries 

 longest ; 1st quite short ; 2 or 3 emarginate on inner webs. Feet thickly and closely feathered 

 to the claws. In this interesting genus the ear-parts are of great size, and reach the extreme 

 of asymmetry, the whole skull seeming misshapen. Three species are known, all of small 

 size ; one of circumpolar distribution, one peculiar to N. Am., the third of unknown habitat, 

 probably American. They are notable for the unusual degree of difference between old and 

 young ; and our species are readily distinguished by stronger characters than are ordinarily found 

 between congeneric owls. The adults are umber or chocolate-brown above, spotted with white, 

 below white, striped with brown ; the young more uniform. Eyes yellow ; bUl black or 



yellow. 



Aiialysis of Species. 



Larger: wing about 7.00; tail 4.50. Bill yellow; cere not tumid; nostrilB presenting laterally, and 

 obliquely oval. Arctic ridiardsani 482 



Smaller : -wing 6.50 ; tail 2.67. Bill black ; cere tumid ; nostrils presenting anteriorly, and about circular. 

 U. S acadica 483 



482. N. teng'malmi rich'ardsoni. (To P. G. Tengmalm, and J. Richardson.) Arctic American 

 Saw-v?het Owl. Adult : Upper parts, including wings and tail, uniform chocolate-brown, 

 spotted with white ; on the top of the head the spots small and profuse, on the nape larger and 

 blended into a nuchal collar, on the back and wing-coverts large and sparse, but tending to 

 form a scapular bar, on the vring-quills and tail-feathers in pairs, at the opposite edges of the 

 webs, on the inner webs larger, more like bars, and more or less run together, especially on 

 the inner secondaries. Under parts white, thickly and confusedly streaked lengthwise with the 

 color of the back. Facial disc mostly white, hut with blackish eyelids and loral spot, set in a 

 frame of dark brown speckled with white. The general tone of the brown of this species is 

 oftenest ruddy, nearly as in N. acadica, but sometimes dark and pure. Yovmg not seen by me ; 

 said to differ from the adult much as N. acadica does. Length 11.00-12.00; extent 24.00; 

 wing 7.00; tail 4.50; tarsus 1.00; middle toe without claw 0.67; culmen without cere 0.60. 

 Said to be distinguished from the European conspecies (fig. 359) by its darker coloration, oehrey 

 feet spotted with brown instead of being nearly immaculate white, and more heavily streaked 

 under tail-coverts. This fine species inhabits the Arctic regions, being seldom seen in the 

 U. S., where only known in winter and not further south than New England, Wisconsin, 

 Northern Ohio, and Oregon ; though it is probably resident in Northern Maine, like the snowy 



