66 
LITTLE OWL. 
LITTLE OWL — STRIX PASSERINA. — Plate XXXIV. Fig. 1. 
Arct. Zool. 236, No. 126. — Turton, Syst. 172 — Peale's Museum, No. 522. 
STRIX AC ABIC A.— Gmelin.* 
Chouette chevechette, Temm. Man. i. p. 96. — Strix acadica, JBonap. Synop. p. 38. 
— Monog. sinot strigi inauric. osserv. sulla, 2d edit, del Reg. Aram. Cuv. p. 52. 
— Strix acadica, American Sparrow Owl, North. Zool. p. 97. 
This is one of the least of its whole genus ; but, like 
many other little folks, makes up, in neatness of general form 
and appearance, for deficiency of size, and is, perhaps, the most 
more thickly dashed with black streaks ; the ears are nearly of the same length 
with the other feathers, but can be easily distinguished. She is always foremost 
to attack any intruder on her nest or young Ed. 
* There is so much alliance between many of the small Owls, that it is a 
matter of surprise more species have not been confounded. Wilson appears 
to have been mistaken, or to have confounded the name at least of the Little 
Owl ; and on the authority of Temminck and Bonaparte, we have given it 
as above, that of acadica. It is a native of both Continents, but does not 
yet appear to have reached the British shores. According to Temminck, it 
is found in the deep German forests, though rarely, but is plentiful in Livonia. 
Bonaparte hints at the probability of the St. passerina being yet discovered 
in America, which seems very likely, considering the similarity of its European 
haunts. The last overland arctic expedition met with this and another allied 
species, St. Tengmalmi, which will . rank as an addition to the ornithology 
of that continent. Dr Richardson has the following observations regarding 
the latter : “ When it accidentally wanders abroad in the day, it is so much 
dazzled by the light of the sun as to become stupid, and it may be easily 
caught by the hand. Its cry in the night is a single melancholy note, repeated 
at intervals of a minute or two, and it is one of the superstitious practices of 
the natives to whistle when they hear it. If the bird is silent when thus 
challenged, the speedy death of the inquirer is thus augured ; hence its Cree 
appellation of Death Bird. 
On the banks of the Sascatchewan it is so common, that its voice is heard 
almost every night by the traveller, wherever he selects his bivouack. 
Both the latter species extend over the north of Europe, and are found 
occasionally in Britain. The specimens which I have seen in confinement 
seem to sleep or doze away the morning and forenoon, but are remarkably 
active when roused, and move about with great agility. Both are often exposed 
for sale, with other birds, in the Dutch and Belgian markets. — Ed. 
