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.