Dr. Kennerly, during the survey recently completed by Lieut. Whipple’s party, noticed this Wren in New Mexico, and obtained specimens now deposited in the National Museum at Washington city. For our present article he has very kindly favored us with the following note:
“This active little bird was observed only among the hills along the head waters of Bill Williams’ fork. In the most rugged and inaccessible places it was generally found busily engaged in searching for food, rapidly passing around and among the rocks with great activity, and accompanying its movements with its short and peculiar chirp. It is so constantly in motion that specimens can only be obtained with difficulty.”
This species was described by Mr. Swainson, from specimens sent to Europe from Real del Monte, in Mexico, and we have seen others from various parts of that country.
The figure in the plate now before the reader, is that of an adult male, and is about two-thirds of the size of life.
The plant represented is Nemophila insignis, a native of California.
DESCRIPTION AND TECHNICAL OBSERVATIONS.
- Genus Troglodytes. Vieill, Nouv. Dict., XXXIV. p. 505. (1819.)
- Troglodytes mexicanus. (Swainson.)
- Thryothorus mexicanus. Swainson, Zool. Ill., 2d series, I. p. (none), pl. 11.
Form. Bill, long, slender and curved; wings, short, rounded, with the fourth and fifth quills longest; tail, rather long; legs and feet, moderately strong; claws, large.
Dimensions. Total length (of skin) about 5½ inches; wing, 2½; tail, 2 inches.
Colors. Throat and neck before, silky-white. Entire upper parts, reddish-brown, with minute circular or irregularly shaped spots of pure white, which are inserted in others of very dark-brown, nearly black; quills, dark-brown, spotted on their outer webs with ferruginous; tail, bright ferruginous, with about eight regular transverse bands of black. Entire under parts (except the throat and neck before, as above), bright ferruginous, rather darker than that of the tail, nearly every feather having a small irregularly shaped spot of white, joined to another of black; bill, light at the base, darker towards the tip. Sexes very nearly alike.
Hab. California, New Mexico, Mexico. Spec. in Mus. Acad., Philada., and Nat. Mus., Washington city.
Obs. This very handsome Wren is not properly to be regarded as a true Troglodytes, but belongs to a small group or sub-genus, to which M. Cabanis has given the name Salpinctes. It does not particularly resemble any other species.
SYNOPSIS
OF
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS.
III. FAMILY STRIGIDÆ. THE OWLS.
General form short and heavy, with the head apparently disproportionately large, and frequently furnished with ear-like tufts of feathers. Cavity of the ear, large; eyes, usually large, directed forwards, and in the greater number of species formed for seeing by twilight or in the night; bill, nearly concealed by projecting bristle-like feathers; wings, usually, rather long and formed for rather slow and noiseless flight, outer edges of primary quills fringed; tail, various, usually short; legs, generally, rather short, and in all the species, except those of the Asiatic genus Ketupa, Lesson, more or less feathered to the toes, generally densely; face surrounded by a more or less perfect disc or circle of short rigid feathers, which circle, with the large eyes directed forwards, gives to these birds an entirely peculiar and cat-like expression, indicative of their analogy to the Feline quadrupeds.
Female larger than the male. General organization adapted to the destruction of living animals in the night, or in the morning and evening twilight—midnight appears to be the noon of these birds, at which they are not disposed to activity.
Species of owls inhabit all parts of the world, most abundantly in America and Asia. There are about one hundred and forty described species, of which number, specimens of about one hundred and twenty are in the collection of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. The species inhabiting the continent and islands of America are about forty.
A.
I. SUB-FAMILY STRIGINÆ. THE TRUE OR TYPICAL OWLS.
Head, large; facial disc, perfect; bill, rather long; eyes, of moderate size; wings, long; tail, moderate; legs, rather long, clothed with short feathers; toes, long—size, medium, never very large; colors of plumage in the greater number of species, yellowish-fawn color and white.
I. GENUS STRIX. Linnæus Syst. Nat., I. p. 131. (1766.)
Head, large, without ear-tufts; cavity of the ear, large; bill, rather long, covered at the base by projecting, bristle-like feathers; eyes, rather small, and surrounded by radiated feathers; facial disc, perfect; wings, very long, pointed, and with the outer edges distinctly fringed; tarsi, long, thinly covered with feathers; toes, long, more or less covered with bristles; claws, long, moderately strong, curved, very sharp; tail, moderate, or rather long. Contains about twelve species of all parts of the world, nearly all of which resemble in a greater or less measure Strix flammea, of Europe, and Strix pratincola, of North America.
- 1. Strix pratincola. Bonap. Comp. List., p. 7. (1838.) The Barn Owl.
- Strix americana. Aud. Orn. Biog. II. p. 421 (1834, but not of Gmelin, 1788).
Wilson Am. Orn., VI. pl. 50., fig. 2. Aud. B. of Am. pl. 171, octavo edition, I. pl. 34. Nat. Hist. State of New York Birds, pl. 13, fig. 28.
Typical, and strictly exhibiting the generic characters.
Adult. Entire plumage above, pale fawn color, or tawny brownish-yellow, in some specimens nearly white, mottled with dark-gray and white, especially on the back and wing coverts and outer webs of the quills, which mottling gives the predominating color of those parts to many specimens; nearly every feather with a small subterminal black spot succeeded by another of white. Quills, fawn-colored, or pale reddish-yellow, varying much in shade in different specimens, and fading into nearly white on the inner webs; primaries with about five irregular transverse bars of brownish-black. Under parts, generally pale fawn color, but in some specimens, pure white, with small sagittate, lanceolate or circular spots of brownish-black; tibiæ and tarsi similar in color to the other under parts, but frequently unspotted and pure white; inferior coverts of the wing and tail, white; tail, same color as quills and crossed by four or five bars of dark-brown; face, white, with central spots of dark-chestnut nearly encircling the eyes, disc feathers tipped with dark fawn-color and brownish-black, forming a very conspicuous margin, especially on the lower part of the face; bill, toes and claws, light-yellowish; irides, brown. Distinctive colors of sexes not well understood, but they are, probably, nearly alike.
Dimensions. Female, total length, about 16 inches; wing, 13; tail, 5½ inches. Male, smaller.
Hab. The whole of North America, except the northern regions; more abundant in the south. Wisconsin (Dr. Hoy), Vermont (Dr. Brewer, Mr. Z. Thompson), Massachusetts (Dr. Emmons), Oregon (U. S. Ex. Exp., Vincennes), California (Dr. Heermann), New Mexico (Dr. Henry), South Carolina (Mr. Audubon, Prof. Gibbes), Texas, Mexico (Lieut. Couch). Spec. in Mus. Acad., Philada.
Obs. This handsome species of Owl may be regarded as most properly a southern and western species, being of rather rare occurrence north of Virginia, though it breeds occasionally in the Northern States. It is nearly related to Strix flammea of Europe, but is larger. It very much resembles also several other species of various parts of the world, such as S. perlata of South America, S. furcata of the island of Cuba, and others. Naturalists have, in fact, established species on very slender characters, amongst the owls of this group. It is a very harmless bird, resorting in the south to buildings and outhouses, and subsisting on small animals. Different specimens vary considerably in shade of color and somewhat in dimensions.
II. SUB-FAMILY BUBONINÆ. THE HORNED OWLS.
Size, various, in some species very large, in others, small; head, large, always furnished with conspicuous ear-tufts, facial disc incomplete in the upper part; legs, feet and claws usually strong. This division contains numerous species of all parts of the world, except Australia.
I. GENUS BUBO. Cuvier, Regne Animal, I. p. 331. (1817.)
Size, large; general form, very robust and strong; head, large, with prominent ear-tufts; eyes, very large; wings, long, wide; tail, moderate; tarsi short, and with the toes densely feathered; claws, very strong, curved; bill, rather short, curved from the base, strong, covered at base by projecting plumes. This genus contains the large horned Owls of which there are about fifteen species, the greater part being peculiar to Asia and Africa.
- 1. Bubo virginianus. (Gmelin.) The great horned Owl. The Cat Owl.
- Strix virginiana. Gm. Syst. Nat. I. p. 287. (1788.)
- Strix pythaules. Bartram Trav. p. 289. (1791.)
- Bubo ludovicianus. Daudin Traité d’Orn. II. p. 210. (1800.)
- Bubo pinicola. Vieill. Ois. d’Am., Sept., I. p. 51. (1807.)
Edward’s Birds, II. pl. 60. Vieill., Ois. d’Am., Sept., I. pl. 19. Wilson, Am. Orn., VI. pl. 50. fig. 1. Aud., B. of Am., pl. 61, Oct. ed., I. pl. 39. Nat. Hist. N. Y., pl. 10, fig. 22.
Large, adult, entire plumage above, dark-brown, every feather mottled, and with irregular lines of ashy-white and reddish fulvous, the latter being the color of all the plumage at the bases of the feathers. Ear-tufts, dark-brown, nearly black, edged on their inner webs with dark fulvous, a black spot above and extending somewhat in front of the eye, radiating feathers behind the eye, dark reddish fulvous, feathers of the facial disc tipped with black; throat and neck before, white; breast, with wide longitudinal stripes of black; other under parts finely variegated with white and fulvous, and every feather having transverse narrow lines of dark-brown. In many specimens, the middle of the abdomen is pure white; legs and toes light fulvous, generally unspotted, but in some specimens, with transverse narrow bars of dark-brown; quills, brown, with wide transverse bands of cinereous, tinged on the inner webs with pale fulvous; tail, the same, with the pale fulvous predominating in the outer feathers; iris, yellow; bill and claws, dark.
The colors of the plumage, and the size also, in this species, vary materially. There may be distinguished the following varieties, which appear to be permanent in individual specimens, and are to some extent geographical. Though at present, with a large number of specimens before us, we are of opinion that they are all of one species, it may be that they are distinct:
- Variety, atlanticus.
The common species as just described. Feathers of the face behind the eye, always bright reddish fulvous, and the entire plumage more marked with that color than in the others, as below. This variety inhabits the eastern and northern portion of North America.
- Variety, pacificus.
Feathers of the face, behind the eye, ashy, generally faintly tinged with fulvous. General plumage with the fulvous color paler than the preceding.
This variety appears to be restricted to the west, and nearly all the specimens that we have seen are of a smaller size than it is usual to find in the eastern bird, though we have seen specimens of the latter which were not larger.
- Variety, arcticus.
- Bubo arcticus. Swainson, Faun. Bor. Am. Birds, p. 86, pl. 30. (1831.)
- Bubo sub-arcticus. Hoy, Proc. Acad., Philada., VI. p. 211. (Dec. 1852.)?
- Bubo septentrionalis. Brohm., Vog. Deutschl., p. 120. (1831.)?
- Strix scandiaca. Linn., Syst. Nat., I. p. 132. (1766.)?
Feathers of the face, pure white, or very pale cream color. General plumage, of a predominating pale yellowish-white, or cream color, of various shades in different specimens, sometimes nearly pure white, especially on the under parts, and always marked with brown, frequently very pale and indistinct, in the same general manner as in characteristic specimens of B. virginianus, var., atlanticus, but with the lines and stripes much less numerous and paler; tarsi and toes, nearly pure white. Size, in some specimens, quite as large as in the common variety, and the plumage with more on less of the same reddish fulvous at the bases of the feathers.
Of the specimens of this bird that we have seen, one is Dr. Hoy’s original, and another was brought from California, by Mr. Bell. The latter is the smaller, and is probably a male. Dr. Hoy’s specimen, which appears to be a large female, has the upper mandible with a more prominent lobe than is usual in specimens of this species.
- Variety, magellanicus.
- Strix magellanicus. Gm., Syst. Nat., I. p. 286. (1788.) Buff. Pl. Enl., I. pl. 385.
- Strix nacurutu. Vieill., Nouv. Dict., VII. p. 44. (1817.)
- Bubo ludovicianus. Daudin, Traité d’Orn, II. p. 210?
Very similar to the common bird of eastern North America, and has all the plumage at base fulvous, very variable in color, frequently lighter than the common variety, but sometimes very dark; plumage behind the eyes, generally pale cinereous, but in some specimens more or less tinged with fulvous.
This variety inhabits, apparently, the whole of South America, and, probably, also southern North America.
Dimensions. Female.—Total length, 22 to 25 inches; wing 15 to 16; tail, 10 inches. Male, total length, 19 to 21 inches; wing, 14 to 15; tail, 9 inches. The western and southern varieties producing smaller specimens than the eastern and northern.
Hab. The whole of North America, western South America; Hudson’s Bay (Richardson); Canada (Dr. Hall); Wisconsin (Dr. Hoy); Washington territory (Dr. Cooper); Minnesota (Mr. Pratten); Vermont (Mr. Thompson); Oregon (Dr. Townsend); California (Dr. Heermann); Texas (Mr. Schott); Indian territory (Dr. Woodhouse); Mexico (Lieut. Couch). Breeds in Pennsylvania and northward. Spec. in Mus. Acad., Philada.
Obs. With numerous specimens before us from various parts of America, we are unable to recognise any differences sufficient to establish specific distinctions, and we have therefore provisionally designated the above four varieties. All of them vary considerably in shade of color in different specimens.
This is the largest owl of North America, except one, the Great Cinereous Owl (Syrnium cinereum) and, like several other species of large birds, retreats before the progress of the settlement of the country. Formerly abundant, it is now comparatively rare in the more thickly populated states, and appears almost entirely as a wanderer in winter.
Specimens are not frequently seen so dark nor so large as represented in Mr. Audubon’s plate.
II. GENUS SCOPS. Savigny, Nat. Hist. Egypt, I. p. 105. (1809.)
EPHIALTES. Keyserling and Blasius, Wirbelth. Eur. p. 33. (1840.)
Size, small; head, large, with conspicuous ear-tufts; facial disc, imperfect above the eyes; bill, short, curved, nearly covered by projecting feathers; wings, long; tail, short, and generally slightly curved inwards; tarsi, rather long, and more or less covered; toes, long, partially covered with hair-like feathers; claws, rather long, curved, strong. General form short and compact. A genus containing about twenty-five species of small Owls of all parts of the world, except Australia.
- 1. Scops asio. (Linn.) The Mottled Owl. The Red Owl. The Screech Owl.
- Strix asio. Linn. Syst. Nat., I. p. 132. (1766.)
- Strix nævia. Gm., Syst. Nat., I. p. 289. (1788.)
- Bubo striatus. Vieill., Ois d’Am. Sept., I. p. 54. (1807.)
Catesby’s Carolina, I. pl. 7. Vieill., Ois. d’Am. Sept., I. pl. 21. Temm., Pl. Col. 80. Wilson, Am. Orn., pl. 19, fig. 1.; pl. 42, fig. 1. Aud., B. of Am., pl. 97. Oct. ed., I. pl. 40. Nat. Hist. N. Y., pl. 12, figs. 25, 26.
Short and compact; head, large; ear-tufts, prominent; wing, with the fourth quill slightly longest; tail, short, somewhat curved inwards; tarsi, long, fully clothed with feathers; toes, hairy. Adult. Entire plumage above, pale ashy-brown, nearly every feather with a longitudinal line, or stripe of dark brown, nearly black, and irregularly mottled, and with irregular transverse lines of brown, more or less tinged with ashy. Under parts, ashy-white, every feather with a longitudinal stripe of brownish black and with transverse lines of the same color; face and throat and tarsi ashy-white, irregularly lined and mottled with pale brownish; quills, brown, with transverse bands, nearly white on the outer webs, and pale ashy brown on their inner webs; tail, pale ashy-brown, with about ten transverse narrow bands of pale cinereous with a tinge of reddish; under wing-coverts, white, the larger tipped with black; bill and claws, light horn-color; irides, yellow. Younger. Entire upper parts, pale brownish-red, some feathers, especially on the head and scapulars, having longitudinal lines of brownish-black; under parts, white, some feathers with longitudinal stripes and lines of reddish-brown; feathers before the eyes, throat, under wing-coverts, and tarsi, white, frequently with a tinge of reddish; quills, reddish-brown, with transverse bands rufous on the outer webs, ashy on their inner; tail, rufous, with brown bands deeper on the inner webs. Young. Upper parts, except the head, rufous; head and entire under parts transversely striped with ashy-white and pale brown. Very Young. Entire plumage transversely striped with ashy-white and pale brown, tinged with rufous on the wings and tail; white nearly pure on under surface of the body.
Dimensions. Total length, 9½; to 10 inches; wing, 7; tail, 3½ inches. Male but slightly smaller.
Hab. The whole of North America; Greenland (Fabricius); Canada (Dr. Hall); Minnesota (Mr. Pratten); Ohio (Prof. Kirtland); Oregon (Dr. Townsend); California (Dr. Heermann); Long Island (Mr. Giraud); South Carolina (Prof. Gibbes); Indian Territory (Dr. Woodhouse). Breeds in Pennsylvania. Spec. in Mus. Acad., Philada.
Obs. This is one of the most abundant of the Owls inhabiting the States on the Atlantic seaboard. It presents two constant varieties of plumage, which have been regarded as distinct species; the mottled or gray described above as the adult, and the red described as younger. These two varieties appear to be very similar to those of the European Syrnium aluco, and to some other species.
The Rev. Dr. Bachman, of Charleston, S. C., has fully established the identity of the two, and we have fully confirmed the accuracy of his observations (in Aud. Orn. Biog., V. p. 392). The young birds, as stated by him, are red when fully feathered, or nearly so; but we have observed that previously they are transversely striped with brown and white, with but little tinge of red, and presenting a general appearance somewhat like the adult mottled bird. They pair and breed in the red plumage, and it is not unusual to find a mottled male and red female associated, or the reverse. According to Dr. Bachman, the perfect plumage is assumed at the age of two years. Intermediate specimens, impossible to be referred absolutely to either of the plumages, are not uncommon.
This bird holds its place throughout the country in spite of the constant destruction of the woodlands; and though universally known and scarcely regarded favorably by our people, is seldom molested. Its food is principally insects.
- 2. Scops McCallii. Cassin. New species. (July, 1854.) The Western Mottled Owl.
In form and general appearance like the preceding (S. asio), but much smaller; short and robust; wing with the fourth quill longest; tail short, slightly curved inwards; tarsi rather long, fully covered; toes partially covered with long hair-like feathers. Adult. Male.—Much resembling in color the adult of the species immediately preceding, but darker; entire plumage above, ashy-brown, nearly every feather with a longitudinal stripe of brownish-black, and with numerous irregular transverse lines and points of the same; under parts, ashy-white, every feather with a longitudinal stripe of brownish-black, and with well-defined but irregular transverse lines of the same; flanks and sides tinged with pale fulvous; quills brown, with several transverse bands of pale reddish-white, assuming the form of quadrangular spots on the outer webs, and pale reddish ashy on the inner webs; tail, ashy-brown, with about ten narrow transverse bands on all except the two central feathers, well defined on the inner webs; scapular feathers and some of the greater coverts of the wings, edged with white; bill greenish horn-color, light yellowish at the tip; irides, yellow.
Dimensions. Total length, 7½ to 8 inches; wing, 6; tail, 3 inches. Male.
Hab. Texas (Mr. Schott); Northern Mexico (Lieut. Couch). Spec. in Mus. Acad., Philada., and Nat. Mus., Washington city.
Obs. This species very considerably resembles the adult or grey plumage of the Scops asio, but is uniformly much smaller and darker in color. The transverse lines on the under surface of the body are better defined and more numerous. It also somewhat resembles Scops choliba of South America, under which name we suppose the female of the present bird to be alluded to by Mr. Lawrence, in Annals N. Y. Lyceum, VI. p. 4.
This interesting species we have taken the liberty of dedicating to our esteemed friend, Col. McCall, as a slight memento of long-continued and unbroken friendship, and in testimony of our high appreciation of him as a naturalist, who has contributed much of interest and importance, especially to the ornithology of Western America.
III. GENUS OTUS. Cuvier, Regne Animal, I. p. 327. (1817.)
Head moderate, furnished with erectile ear-tufts, varying in size in different species; bill rather short, nearly concealed by projecting bristle-like feathers, curved from the base; facial disc more perfect than in the two preceding genera; wings rather long, with the second and third quills longest; tail moderate; legs long; tarsi and toes densely covered with feathers; claws long, curved, very acute; eyes rather small, and surrounded by radiating feathers; facial disc nearly perfect. Contains about ten species of various parts of the world.
- 1. Otus Wilsonianus. Lesson, Traité d’Orn., I. p. 110. (1831.) The long-eared Owl.
- Otus americanus. Bonap., Comp. List., p. 7. (1838.)
- Strix americana. Gm., Syst. Nat., I. p. 288. (1788)? Bonap., Cons. Av., p. 50.
- Strix peregrinator. Bartram, Trav., p. 289. (1790)?
Wilson, Am. Orn., VI. pl. 51, fig. 1. Aud., B. of Am., pl. 383, octavo ed., I. pl. 37. Nat. Hist. N. Y., pl. 11, fig. 24.
Ear-tufts long and conspicuous; wings long; tarsi and toes densely feathered. Adult. Entire plumage above mottled with very dark brown (nearly black), ashy-white and fulvous, the former color, brown, predominating; breast pale fulvous, every feather with a wide longitudinal stripe of brownish-black; abdomen white, every feather with a wide longitudinal stripe, and with transverse stripes of brownish-black; legs and toes pale fulvous, usually unspotted, but in some specimens with irregular transverse narrow stripes of dark brown; eye nearly encircled with black, radiating feathers of the face in front of the eye ashy-white, with minute black lines, behind the eye deep fulvous, and narrowly tipped with black; throat white; feathers of the disc tipped with black; ear-tufts brownish-black, edged with ashy-white and fulvous; quills pale fulvous at their bases, with irregular transverse bands of brown, terminating portions brown, with yellowish, ashy, irregular bands, which are mottled with brown; inferior coverts of the wings pale fulvous, in some specimens nearly white, the larger inferior coverts widely tipped with brownish-black, forming a conspicuous transverse band on the under surface of the wing; tail brown, with several irregular transverse bands of ashy fulvous, which bands are mottled as on the quills; bill and claws dark; irides yellow. Sexes probably alike at the same ages.
Dimensions. Female.—Total length, about 15 inches; wing, 11½; tail, 6 inches. Male.—Smaller.
Hab. Northern and Eastern North America. Breeds in Pennsylvania. Hudson’s Bay (Richardson and Swainson); Canada (Dr. Hall); Oregon (Dr. Townsend); Washington Territory (Dr. Cooper); Nebraska (Dr. Suckley); Massachusetts (Dr. Emmons); Long Island (Mr. Giraud).
Obs. This is one of the commonest species of Owls in the Northern and Eastern States on the Atlantic. It much resembles the European Otus vulgaris, with which American authors have generally considered it identical, but it is larger and darker colored. It is a shy and secluded species, seldom venturing far from the woods, and appears to be a constant resident in the middle and northern States.
- 2. Otus brachyotus. (Forster.) The Short-eared Owl. The Marsh Owl.
- Strix brachyotos. Forster, Philos. Trans. London, LXII. p. 384. (1772.)
- Brachyotus palustris americanus. Bonap., Cons. Av., p. 51. (1849.)
- Otus galapagoensis. Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc., London, 1837, p. 10?
Wilson, Am. Orn., IV. pl. 33, fig. 3. Aud., B. of Am., pl. 410; Oct. ed., I. pl. 38. Nat. Hist. N. Y. Birds, pl. 12, fig. 27.
Ear-tufts very short and inconspicuous; bill short, curved, nearly concealed by projecting feathers; wings rather long, second quill longest; tail moderate; tarsi and toes densely feathered. Adult. Entire plumage buff or pale fulvous, every feather with a wide central longitudinal stripe of dark brown; under parts pale buff color, striped longitudinally with brown, more sparingly on the flanks and abdomen; legs and toes buff, usually of a deeper shade than the under parts of the body; wing-coverts and secondary quills brown, with large ovate or circular spots of pale reddish fulvous on their outer-webs; primaries pale reddish fulvous at their bases, brown at their ends, with wide irregular bars, and large spots of reddish fulvous; tail pale fulvous, with about five irregular transverse bands of brown, which color predominates on the two central feathers; outermost feathers palest; under tail-coverts nearly pure white; throat white; eyes surrounded by large black spots; radiating feathers in front of the eyes white, behind the eyes fulvous, with delicate lines of black on the shafts of the feathers; ear-tufts brown, widely edged with pale fulvous; bill and claws dark; irides yellow. Sexes alike.
Dimensions. Female.—Total length, about 15 inches; wing, 12; tail, 6 inches. Male.—Smaller.
Hab. The whole of North America and Western South America. Greenland (Prof. Holboll); Canada (Dr. Hall); Washington Territory (Dr. Cooper); California (Dr. Heermann); Chili (Lieut. Gillis); Bermuda (Sir W. Jardine); Cuba (Mr. Lembeye).
Obs. This Owl is of frequent occurrence, especially in the winter season, throughout the Eastern States of the Union, and appears to prefer meadows and marshes along the course of rivers or other streams of water. We have met with it, too, occasionally in straggling bushes in fields remote from such localities.
This bird has been almost universally considered identical with the bird known by the same name, which is found throughout Europe and Asia; but it is nearly or quite as distinct as some other American birds of this family recognised on all hands as separate species. On comparison of series of specimens of the two, it will be found that the American are larger, and for much the greater part darker colored, especially the females. The name brachyotus is, however, applicable to the American species only, having been first applied by Forster to an American specimen in his “Account of the Birds sent from Hudson’s Bay, with observations relative to their Natural History,” in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, London, 1772.
We have had no facilities for comparing the stages of plumage of the young of the American and European or Asiatic species, but have no doubt they will be found to present sufficient distinctive characters. We have omitted the many synonymes of the European bird, for reasons above intimated.
Otus galapagoensis, Gould, is scarcely to be distinguished from our present bird. Admitting the genus Brachyotus, Gould, we think it very probable that the name of the present species ought to stand Brachyotus galapagoensis (Gould).
Very fine specimens of this Owl are contained in the large and highly interesting collection of birds made in Chili, by Lieut. Gilliss, of the United States Navy. It appears to inhabit the plains on the Pacific, and nearly all the specimens are of a deeper shade of fulvous than is usually met with in those of the North, though we have seen specimens of the latter precisely similar to them.
III. SUB-FAMILY SYRNIINÆ. THE GREY OWLS.
Head large, with very small and concealed ear-tufts, or entirely without; facial disc nearly complete; eyes rather small; wings rather short; tarsi and toes generally fully feathered. Size various.
I. GENUS SYRNIUM. Savigny, Nat. Hist. Egypt, I. p. 112. (1809.)
Size usually large; head large, without ear-tufts; facial disc nearly perfect; bill rather strong, wide at base, curved from its base; wings long, somewhat rounded, fourth and fifth quills longest; tail long, wide, rounded; legs moderately long, robust; tarsi and toes densely covered with short feathers; claws long, curved, very sharp. A genus containing fifteen to twenty species of various parts of the world, principally northern.
- 1. Syrnium cinereum. (Gm.) The Great Gray Owl. The Cinereous Owl.
- Strix cinerea. Gmelin, Syst. Nat., I. p. 291. (1788.)
- Strix lapponica. Retzius, Faun. Suec., p. 79. (1800.)
- Strix fuliginosa. Shaw, Gen. Zool., VII. p. 244. (1809.)
- Strix barbata. Pallas, Zool. Ross., I. p. 318. (1811.)
- Strix acclamator. Bartram, Trav., p. 289. (1790.)?
Fauna., Bor. Am. Birds, pl. 31. Aud., B. of Am., pl. 351: Oct. ed., I. pl. 35. Nat. Hist. N. Y. Birds, pl. 13, fig. 29. Pallas, Zool. Ross., Birds, pl. 2. Gould, B. of Europe, I. pl. 42.
Large; head very large; eyes small; tail long. Adult. Entire upper parts smoky-brown, nearly every feather more or less mottled and transversely barred with ashy-white; under parts smoky-brown; feathers on the breast edged with ashy-white, and on the abdomen edged and transversely barred with ashy-white, in some specimens all the feathers are ashy-white, with wide longitudinal stripes of smoky-brown; legs brown, with numerous ashy-white transverse stripes; quills brown, with about five wide irregular transverse bands of ashy-white, in some specimens tinged with reddish-yellow, these bands mottled with brown; tail brown, with about five wide irregular bands of ashy-white, which bands are mottled with brown; throat black; discal feathers on the neck tipped with yellowish-white; eye nearly encircled by a black spot; radiating feathers around the eye with regular transverse narrow bars of dark brown and ashy-white; bill pale yellow; claws pale, dark at their tips. Sexes alike.
Dimensions. Female?—Total length, 26 inches; wing, 18; tail, 12 inches.
Hab. Northern North America. Northern Europe and Asia. Breeds in the vicinity of Montreal, Canada (Dr. Hall); Wisconsin (Dr. Hoy); Oregon (Dr. Townsend); Vermont (Mr. Thompson). Spec. in Mus. Acad., Philada.
Obs. This is the largest known species of the Owls which inhabit North America, and is restricted on the Atlantic to the Northern States. In Western America its range is not known, but it was brought from Oregon by Dr. Townsend. In the valuable “Sketch of the Zoology of the vicinity of Montreal, Canada,” by Archibald Hall, M. D., the manuscript of which has been kindly and most opportunely placed in our hands by that gentleman, it is stated that this fine bird is a resident species in that district.
- 2. Syrnium nebulosum. (Forster.) The barred Owl.
- Strix nebulosa. Forster. Trans. Philos. Soc., London, LXII. p. 386, 424. (1772.)
- “Strix varius. Bartram, MSS.” Barton, Frag. Nat. Hist. Penna, p. 11. (1799.)
- Strix chichictli. Gm., Syst. Nat., I. p. 296. (1788.)?
- Strix fernandica. Shaw, Gen. Zool., VII. p. 263. (1809.)?
Vieill., Ois. d’Am., Sept., pl. 17. Wilson, Am. Orn., IV. pl. 33, fig. 2. Aud., B. of Am., pl. 46; Oct. ed., I. pl. 36. Nat. Hist. N. Y. Birds, pl. 10, fig. 21. Gould. B. of Europe, I. pl. 46.
Smaller than the preceding; head large; tail moderate or rather long. Adult. Entire plumage above light ashy-brown, in some specimens with a tinge of fulvous, every feather with transverse narrow bands of white, wider on the back and most numerous on the head and hind part of the neck; plumage of the breast with transverse bands of brown and of white; flanks and abdomen ashy-white, every feather with a longitudinal central stripe of brown; tarsi and toes ashy-white, tinged with fulvous, frequently unspotted, but in some specimens mottled and transversely striped with dark brown; quills brown, with about six or seven transverse bars nearly pure white on the outer webs, and on the inner ashy fulvous; tail light brown, with about five transverse bars of white, generally tinged with reddish-yellow; a black spot in front of the eye; discal feathers tipped with white, and finely barred with black, radiating feathers around the eye ashy-white, with stripes of brown behind the eye; throat dark brown; bill pale yellow; claws horn-color; irides bluish-black. Sexes alike.
Dimensions. Female.—About 20 inches; wing, 13½; tail, 9 inches. Male.—Smaller.
Hab. The whole of North America. Accidental in Northern Europe. Canada (Dr. Hall); Minnesota (Mr. Pratten); Texas, New Mexico (Dr. Woodhouse); South Carolina (Prof. Gibbes); Florida (Mr. Audubon). Spec. in Mus. Acad., Philada.
Obs. A species frequently met with in nearly all parts of the United States, especially in the winter. Occasionally we have seen specimens in the woods, that showed no signs of alarm whatever on being approached, and apparently not at all familiar with man nor with the sound of the gun. During some winters it is abundant in Pennsylvania, probably having migrated from farther north. When wounded, this species seeks safety by hopping away quite awkwardly, showing nothing of the courage of the Great Horned Owl, or even of the comparatively small long-cared species (Otus Wilsonianus), both of which will stand up manfully and defend themselves to the best of their ability, while life lasts.
II. GENUS NYCTALE. Brehm, Isis, 1828, p. 1271.
SCOTOPHILUS. Swains. Lardner’s Cab. Cy. Birds, II. p. 217. (1837.)
Size small; head large, with no visible ear-tufts; bill moderate, nearly concealed by projecting plumes; facial disc nearly perfect; wings moderate or rather long; tail short; tarsi and toes short and fully feathered. A group containing not more than five species of small Owls, four of which are American, and the other European.
- 1. Nyctale Richardsoni. Bonap. Comp. List., p. 7. (1838.) Richardson’s Owl.
- “Strix Tengmalmi. Gm.” Aud., Orn. Biog., IV., p. 559, and other American authors.
Fauna, Bor. Am. Birds, pl. 32. Aud., B. of Am., pl. 380, figs. 1, 2; Oct. ed., I. pl. 32.
The largest of this genus; wings rather long, third quill longest; tail rather long. Adult. Entire upper parts pale reddish-brown, tinged with olive, nearly all the feathers having large partially concealed spots of white, especially on the back part of the head, neck behind, scapulars, and rump; head in front with numerous spots of white; face white, a black spot in front of the eye; throat with brown stripes; under parts ashy-white, every feather with a longitudinal stripe of pale reddish-brown, on the breast some irregular transverse stripes of brown, and in some specimens the white on the sides and flanks assuming the form of large circular spots; legs and toes pale yellowish, nearly white, sometimes irregularly barred and spotted with brown; quills brown, with small spots of white on their outer edges, and large spots of the same on their inner-webs, somewhat disposed to form transverse stripes, very obvious when seen from below; tail brown, every feather with about ten pairs of white spots; bill light yellowish horn-color; claws dark; iris yellow.
Dimensions. Male.—Total length, 10½ inches; wing, 7½; tail, 4½ inches. Female.—Larger.
Hab. Northern North America. Maine (Mr. Audubon); Canada (Dr. Hall); Wisconsin (Dr. Hoy); Oregon (Dr. Townsend). Spec. in Mus. Acad., Philada., and Nat. Mus., Washington city.
Obs. Entirely a northern species, which, though common in the vicinity of Hudson’s Bay, and on the Saskatchewan, may be regarded as of rare occurrence within the limits of the eastern United States. It is, however, found more frequently on the Pacific. We have never known an instance of this bird having been captured in Pennsylvania. It much resembles the European Nyctale funerea (which has also been extensively called Strix Tengmalmi), but is larger and different in other respects.
- 2. Nyctale acadica. (Gmelin.) The Acadian Owl. The Saw-Whet.
- Strix acadica. Gm., Syst. Nat., I. p. 296. (1788.)
- Strix acadiensis. Lath., Ind. Orn., I. p. 65. (1790.)
- “Strix passerina. Linn.” Wilson, Am. Orn., IV. p. 66.
- Strix Dalhousiei. Hall MSS. Macgillivray ed. of Cuv. Reg. An. Birds, pl. 8, fig. 3, name on plate (Edinburg, 1839).
Lath., Gen. Syn., I. pl. 5, fig. 2. Wilson, Am. Orn., IV., pl. 34, fig. 1. Aud., B. of Am., pl. 199; Oct. ed., I pl. 33. Nat. Hist. N. Y. Birds, pl. 11, fig. 23.
Small; wings long; tail short; claws slender. Resembles the preceding, but is much smaller. Entire upper parts reddish-brown, tinged with olive, on the head in front with fine central longitudinal lines of white, and on the neck behind, scapulars and rump with large concealed spots of white: face ashy-white; throat white; under parts white, nearly every feather having a wide longitudinal stripe of pale reddish-brown; under coverts of the 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, very conspicuous when viewed from below; tail brown, with about three pairs of white spots; bill and claws dark; iris yellow.
Dimensions. Total length, 7½ to 8 inches; wing, 5½; tail, 2¾ to 3 inches.
Hab. The whole of North America. Canada (Dr. Hall); Wisconsin (Dr. Hoy); Northern Ohio (Prof. Kirtland); Oregon (Dr. Townsend); California (Dr. Gambel); Kentucky, Louisiana (Mr. Audubon). Spec. in Mus. Acad., Philada.
Obs. This is the smallest Owl that inhabits the eastern and middle States of North America, and is of rather frequent occurrence as far south as Pennsylvania. Repeated instances of this little bird having been captured alive in the city of Philadelphia, have come to our knowledge. It appears to be strictly nocturnal, and when discovered in the daytime, is generally quite bewildered, if disturbed, and apparently nearly incapable of seeking safety by flight. The first specimen that ever we met with, we killed with our gun ramrod. That was long ago, in the bright days when natural history was the dream of our youth.
- 3. Nyctale albifrons. (Shaw.) The White-fronted Owl. Kirtland’s Owl.
- Strix albifrons. Shaw, Nat. Misc., V. p. (not paged.) (1794.)
- Strix frontalis. Lichtenstein, Trans. Berlin Acad., 1838, p. 430.
- Nyctale Kirtlandii. Hoy, Proc. Acad., Philada., VI. p. 210. (1852.)
Cassin, B. of Texas and Cal., I. pl. 11. Shaw, Nat. Misc., V. pl. 171.
Small; wing rather long, fourth quill longest; tail short. Adult. Head and upper portion of breast and entire superior parts dark chocolate brown; front and eyebrows white; throat, and a line on each side running downwards from the base of the under mandible, white; radiating feathers behind the eye dark brown; primaries dark brown, with small spots of white on their outer edges, and large spots of the same on their inner webs; tail dark brown, narrowly tipped with white, and with two bands of the same; entire under parts of the body, legs and toes reddish ochre-yellow; bill and claws dark; iris yellow.
Dimensions. Total length, about 8 inches; wing, 5¼; tail, 3 inches. Female.—Larger.
Hab. Wisconsin (Dr. Hoy); Canada, near Montreal (Dr. Hall); Western?
Obs. Within the limits of the United States, this handsome little Owl has, as yet, only been observed by Dr. Hoy, whose specimens were obtained at Racine, Wisconsin. It is alluded to as Strix acadica, and accurately described by Dr. Hall in his MSS. “Sketch of the Zoology of the district of Montreal,” though represented as of rare occurrence. It is probably a northern and northwestern species.
In the paper cited above, Prof. Lichtenstein regards this bird as the adult Nyctale acadica, and this appears to be the opinion also of the Prince of Canino (Cons. Av., p. 54). It is about the size of N. acadica, but of the numerous specimens of that species which have come under our notice, not one has presented intermediate characters, or has otherwise excited a suspicion that the two species were identical. We at present consider them as distinct species.
We have no doubt that this bird is the Strix albifrons, Shaw, a species which has been lost sight of for upwards of fifty years; but for the gratification of students who may not have access to the necessary books, we append the original descriptions:—
“Ferruginous brown Owl, paler beneath, with the forehead white, and the remiges barred with black and white.
“The very curious and diminutive species of Owl here represented in its natural size, has perhaps never been either figured or described. It is a native of North America, and particularly of Canada. The supposed female is destitute of the white forehead, which forms so conspicuous a character in the male. It belongs to the division of smooth or hornless Owls.”—Shaw’s Naturalist’s Miscellany, V. text, not paged, accompanying pl. 171. (1794.)
The same species, and probably the same specimen, is described by Latham, in General Synopsis of Birds, Supplement II. p. 58 (1801).
“White-fronted Owl, Nat. Mis., pl. 171. Size of the Little Owl. Length eight inches; general color of the plumage on the upper parts brown; the circle of the feathers round the eyes dark, fringed at the back part with white; between the eyes and over the bill and the chin white; the under parts from thence yellow buff; across the breast a pale brown band; on the wing-coverts a spot or two of white; the first five quills marked with a white spot on the outer, and the second quills with the same on the inner margins; the first quills serrated on the outer edge the whole length; the second quill the same, half-way from the tip; tail marked as the quills; legs feathered; bill black; toes dusky.
“This was brought from Quebec, by General Davies, in 1790, and with it another much smaller, which he had in his possession alive; it differed in being more dusky, and the circles of the face not fringed on the back part; otherwise so like, as to be supposed merely differing in age or sex. The General observed to me that this bird frequently erected two feathers over the eye; but although I inspected the specimens very narrowly, I could not observe any feathers longer than the rest; which circumstance is also noticed in respect to the Short-eared Owl.” (Latham, as above.)
IV. SUB-FAMILY ATHENINÆ. THE BIRD OWLS.
Size small; facial disc nearly or quite obsolete; tarsi generally partially or but thinly clothed with feathers; head without ear-tufts. A numerous group of species, which are generally small and not so nocturnal as those of the preceding sub-families.
I. GENUS ATHENE. Boie, Isis, 1822, p. 549.
Size small; head moderate, without ear-tufts; wings long, with the third and fourth quills usually longest; tail moderate; facial disc, nearly obsolete; bill short; upper mandible curved from the base, nearly concealed by projecting feathers; tarsi long, thinly covered with feathers; toes naked or with a few hair-like feathers. A genus containing about forty species of small Owls of all quarters of the globe.
- 1. Athene hypugœa. (Bonap.) The Burrowing Owl.
- Strix hypugœa. Bonap., Am. Orn., I. p. 72. (1825.)
- Athene socialis. Gambel, Proc. Acad., Philada., III. p. 47. (1846.)
Bonap., Am. Orn., I, pl. 7, fig. 2. Aud., B. of Am., pl. 432, fig. 1. Oct. ed., pl. 31?
Small; head moderate; tarsi long; slender, thinly covered in front only with hair-like feathers; naked and scaled laterally and behind; toes with a few scattered hairs; claws curved, rather slender. Adult. Entire upper parts light yellowish-brown, every feather more or less spotted with white, and on the neck behind, and back, with large partially concealed spots of white; throat white, a narrow band of mottled brown and white on the neck before, succeeded by a large patch of white; other under parts white, with wide transverse bands of reddish-brown, varying in shade in different specimens; legs and under tail-coverts white; quills light brown, with yellowish-white spots on their outer edges, and reddish-white bands on their inner webs; tail pale brown, with about six irregular bands of yellowish-white; face yellowish-white; bill light yellow and horn-color; irides yellow. Young. Entire plumage much darker than the adult, and with transverse narrow bands and lines of dark brown.
Dimensions. Male.—Total length, 9 to 10 inches; wing, 7; tail, 4 inches. Female.—Larger.
Hab. Western North America. Oregon (Dr. Townsend); Nebraska (Dr. Suckley); Arkansas, Texas, New Mexico (Col. McCall); Great Salt Lake (Capt. Stansbury); California (Dr. Heermann); Mexico (Lieut. Couch). Spec. in Mus. Acad., Philada., and Nat. Mus., Washington city.
Obs. This curious Owl is very abundant in some localities in Western America, where it lives in communities in burrows in the ground. It is nearly related to several South American species, especially to Athene cunicularia, which is a native of the western countries of that portion of this continent.
We have doubts that fig. 1 of Mr. Audubon’s plate 432 represents this bird, but think it probable that it represents one of the South American species, which fig. 2 of the same plate clearly does. Dr. Townsend’s collection, specimens from which were figured by Mr. Audubon, contained birds of Chili and Peru, as well as of North America, from which circumstance the error may have occurred.
II. GENUS GLAUCIDIUM. Boie, Isis, 1826, p. 970.
Size small; head moderate, without ear-tufts; wings moderate, fourth quill usually longest; tail rather long; tarsi fully feathered; facial disc obsolete; bill short, strong, rather wide at base; claws long, curved, very sharp. This genus contains a few species, amongst which are the smallest birds of this family.
- 1. Glaucidium infuscatum. (Temm.) The pigmy Owl.
- Strix infuscata. Temm., Man. d’Orn., I. p. 97. (1820.)
- Glaucidium gnoma. Wagler, Isis, XXV. p. 275. (1832.)
- “Strix passerinoides. Temm.” Aud., Orn. Biog., V. p. 271; Oct. ed., I. p. 117.
Aud., B. of Am., pl. 432, fig. 4, 5; Oct. ed., I. pl. 30.
Very small, the smallest Owl yet discovered in North America; head moderate; outer three quills sinuated on their inner edges, fourth quill longest; tail rather long; tarsi densely feathered; toes partially covered with long hairs. Adult. Entire upper parts brownish-olive, on the head with numerous circular spots of dull white; a partially concealed white band around the neck behind, succeeded by another of black; scapulars and superior coverts of the wings with white spots; throat white; a narrow band of mottled brownish-olive across the neck before; other under parts white, with longitudinal stripes of dark olive-brown on the flanks and abdomen; quills dark brown, with small spots of white on their outer edges, and large circular spots of the same on their inner webs; tail dark brown, with five or six pairs of circular or oval spots of white on every feather, larger on the inner webs; bill light yellowish; irides yellow.
Dimensions. Total length, 6½ to 7 inches; wing, 3¾; tail, 3 inches.
Hab. Oregon (Dr. Townsend); California (Mr. Bell, Dr. Heermann.)