58 
U. S. P. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS—-'/OOLOGY—GENERAL REPORT. 
under parts of the body reddish ochre yellow. Quills dark brown, with small spots of white on their outer edges and large spots 
of the same on their inner webs ; tail dark brown, with two transverse bands of white, and narrowly tipped with the same ; bill 
and claws dark ; irides yellow. 
Total length about 8 inches ; wing, 5 j inches ; tail, 3 inches. 
Hab .—Northern North America, Wisconsin, (Dr. Hoy,) Canada, (Dr. Hal!,) Western, (Prof. Lichtenstein.) Spec, in Mus. 
Acad. Philadelphia, and Nat. Mus. Washington. 
This is a species lost sight of by naturalists for upwards of half a century, and until brought 
to light through the researches of Dr. Hoy, of Racine, Wisconsin, who is the only naturalist by 
whom it has been obtained within the limits of the United States. It has been noticed also by 
Dr. A. Hall in the vicinity of Montreal, Canada. It is given by Professor Lichtenstein in the 
Transactions of the Berlin Academy, as above cited, as a bird of California ; but he regards it 
as identical with N. acadiccc, and with reference to locality may allude only to the latter species. 
This bird is about the size of Nydale acadica, hut is quite distinct, and, in fact, hears hut little 
xesemblance to that species. We have no doubt that it is the true Strix albifrons, Shaw, as 
above cited. It is probably a northern and northwestern species. 
NYCTALE ACADICA, Gmelin. 
Saw-whet Owl. 
Strix acadica, Gm. Syst. Nat. I, p. 296, (1788.) 
Strix acadiensis, Lath. Ind. Ora. I, pi. 65, (1790.) 
“ Strix passerina, Linn.” Wilson, Am. Ora. IV, p. 66. 
Strix dalhousiei, Hall, MSS. Macgillivray ed. of Cuvier’s Reg. An. Birds pi. 8, fig. 3, name on plate, (Edinburg, 1839.) 
Figures. —Lath. Gen. Syn. I, pi. 5, fig. 2 ; Wilson Am. Ora. IV, pi. 34, fig. 1 ; And. B. of Am. pi. 199 : Oct. ed. 1, pi. 33 ; 
Nat. Hist. New York, Birds, pi. 11, fig. 23. 
Small, wings long, tail short. Upper parts reddish brown tinged with olive ; head in front with fine lines of white, and on 
the neck behind, rump, and scapulars with large partially concealed spots of while. Face ashy white ; throat white ; under 
parts ashy white, with longitudinal stripes of pale reddish brown ; under coverts of wings and tail white. Quills brown, with 
small spots of white on their outer edges, and large spots of the same on their inner webs ; tail brown, every feather with about 
three pairs of spots of white ; bill and claws dark ; irides yellow. 
Total length about 7| to 8 inches ; wing, 5^ inches; tail, 2^ to 3 inches; sexes nearly the same size and alike in colors. 
Hab .—The whole of temperate North America. Spec, in Nat. Mus. Washington, and Mus. Acad. Philadelphia. 
This is the smallest owl found in the eastern and middle States of North America, and is 
probably an inhabitant of the entire temperate regions of this division of the continent. Speci¬ 
mens in the present collection are from Texas and from Washington Territory. We have 
known it to he found also in California, where very probably it is of as frequent occurrence as at 
the same latitude on the Atlantic. 
List of specimens. 
6 
is 
73 
6 
Sex ami age. 
Locality. 
When collected. 
Whence obtained. 
Original No. 
Collected by— 
Measurements. 
Remarks. 
Length. 
Extent. 
g 
9152 
9151 
5039 
Fort Vancouver, W. T... 
Feb’ry 3, 1854 
Dec’r 7, 1853 
Gov. X. I. Stevens. 
26 
Dr. Suckley. 
8.50 
20.50 
Iris yellow. 
