Part 50

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.)

Obs. This minute species of Owl is exclusively Western, having as yet only been noticed in California. It much resembles the European Glaucidium passerinum, and is about the same size. The most readily detected differences are the nearly naked toes of the present bird, and the absence of the decided reddish tinge which prevails in the color of the European species. It also resembles G. passerinoides of South America, but differs also from that species in color and other particulars.

This is the least of the species of Owls inhabiting North America, and has never been observed east of the Rocky Mountains. It lives on insects.

V. SUB-FAMILY NYCTEININÆ. THE DAY OWLS.

Head moderate, without ear-tufts; wings rather long, wide; tail rather long, ample; tarsi strong, and with the toes densely covered with hair-like feathers; claws strong, sharp; plumage very thick and compact. This sub-family includes only the two species now about to be described, both of which are common to the Arctic regions of America, Europe, and Asia, migrating southward in the winter. They are the least nocturnal of all the birds of this family.

I. GENUS NYCTEA. Stephens, Cont. of Shaw’s Gen. Zool., XIII. p. 62. (1826.)

Size large; head large, without ear-tufts; no facial disc; bill short, very strong, nearly concealed by projecting feathers; wings long, wide, third quill longest; tail moderate or rather long, broad; legs short, and with the toes densely covered with feathers, almost concealing the claws, which are long, curved, and strong; general form compact and robust, and thickly feathered. This genus contains only the species described below.

Nyctea nivea. (Daudin.) The Snowy Owl. The White Owl. Strix nivea. Daudin, Traité d’Orn., II. p. 190. (1800.) Strix nyctea. Linn., Syst. Nat., I. p. 132. (1766.) Strix candida. Lath., Ind. Orn., Supp., p. 14. (1801.) Strix erminea. Shaw, Gen. Zool., VII. p. 251. (1809.) Strix arctica. Bartram, Trav., p. 289 (1791, but not of Sparrman, 1789.)

Large; eyes large; bill nearly concealed by projecting feathers; tarsi and toes densely covered with hair-like feathers, nearly concealing the claws. Adult. Entire plumage white, in some specimens with a few spots only on the upper parts of dark brown, and on the under parts with a few irregular transverse bars of the same; quills and tail with a few spots or traces of bands of dark brown. In other specimens every feather except on the face and neck before, is distinctly banded transversely with brown, and in some specimens that color predominates on the upper parts; quills and tail with regular transverse bands of dark brown; plumage of the legs and feet pure white; bill and claws dark horn-color; irides yellow.

Dimensions. Female.—Total length, 24 to 26 inches; wing, 17; tail, 10 inches. Male, smaller.

Hab. Northern North America. Northern Europe and Asia. Greenland (Prof. Holboll); Hudson’s Bay (Mr. Hearne); Canada (Dr. Hall); Vermont (Mr. Thompson); Oregon (Dr. Townsend); Kamschatka (Pallas); Ohio (Prof. Kirtland); South Carolina, Kentucky (Audubon); Bermuda (Sir W. Jardine). Spec. in Mus. Acad., Philada.

Obs. This large and handsome Owl is abundant in the Arctic regions of America, and has been observed at the highest northern latitude yet reached by voyagers. In the winter, it migrates southward over the greater part of Asia, Europe, and North America. It is to be met with every winter in the Northern and Middle States of the Union, though greatly varying in numbers in different years. We have known it to be so abundant in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, as to be brought commonly by the farmers to the market in Philadelphia, and sold for a trifle.

According to Dr. Hall, this fine species breeds in the vicinity of Montreal, making its nest on the ground. Mr. Audubon’s plate represents this bird unusually dark.

II. GENUS SURNIA. Dumeril, Zoologie Analytique, p. 34. (1806).

Size medium or small; head moderate, without ear-tufts; facial disc obsolete; bill moderate, strongly curved, with projecting plumes at base; wings long, third quill longest; tail long, graduated, broad; legs short, and with the toes densely feathered. General form rather lengthened, but moderately robust. This genus includes the Hawk Owl of the Arctic regions and two other species of South Africa.

1. Surnia ulula. (Linn.) The Hawk Owl. The Day Owl. Strix ulula. Linn., Syst. Nat. I., p. 133. (1766.) Strix uralensis and hudsonia. Gm., Syst. Nat. I., p. 295. (1788.) Strix doliata. Pallas, Zool. I., p. 316. (1811.) Surnia borealis. Less., Traité d’Orn. I., p. 100. (1831.) “Strix funerea. Linn.” Audubon and other authors.

Buff., Pl. Enl. 463; Edward’s Birds, pl. 62; Wilson, Am. Orn. VI., pl. 50, fig. 6; Aud., B. of Am., pl. 378; Oct. ed. I., pl. 27; Nat. Hist. N. Y. Birds, pl. 9, fig. 19.

Size medium; first three quills incised on their inner-webs; tail long, with its central feathers about two inches longer than the outer; tarsi and toes thickly feathered. Adult. Entire upper parts fuliginous brown; the head and neck behind with numerous small circular spots of white; scapulars and wing-coverts with numerous partially-concealed large spots of white; face silky grayish-white; throat mixed dark brown and white; a large brown spot on each side of the breast; all the other under parts transversely lined or striped with pale brown; quills and tail brown, with white stripes; bill pale yellowish and horn color; irides yellow; color of upper parts darkest on the head, and the white markings on the head and body varying somewhat in different specimens.

Dimensions. Female.—Total length, 16 to 17 inches; wing, 9; tail, 7 inches. Male smaller.

Hab. Northern regions of both continents. Montreal (Dr. Hall); Maine, Massachusetts (Dr. Brewer); Wisconsin (Dr. Hoy); Northern Ohio (Prof. Kirtland); Vermont (Mr. Z. Thompson); Hudson’s Bay (Dr. Richardson); New Jersey (Mr. Harris). Spec. in Mus. Acad., Philada.

Obs. This remarkable species, which partakes of the characters of both an Owl and a Hawk, is of very rare occurrence in the Middle States of this Union, though abundant in the northern regions of America, and occasionally met with in the Northern States. It is in a great measure diurnal in its habits, venturing abroad boldly in daylight.

Careful examination of numerous American and European specimens has not enabled us to detect any differences.