_Strix acadica_, GMEL. Syst. Nat. p. 296, 1789.—DAUD. Tr. Orn.
II, 206, 1800.—VIEILL. Ois. Am. Sept. I, 49, 1807.—AUD. Birds Am.
pl. cxcix, 1831; Orn. Biog. V, 397.—RICH. & SWAINS. F. B. A. II,
97, 1831.—BONAP. Ann. Lyc. N. Y. II, pp. 38, 436; Isis, 1832, p.
1140.—JARD. (WILS.) Am. Orn. II, 66.—NAUM. Nat. Vög. Deutschl. (ed.
Nov.) I, 434, pl. xliii, figs. 1 & 2.—PEAB. Birds Mass. p. 90.—NUTT.
Man. p. 137, 1833. _Nyctale acadica_, BONAP. List, p. 7, 1838; Consp.
Av. p. 44.—GRAY, Gen. B. fol. App. p. 3, 1844.—KAUP, Monog. Strig.
Cont. Orn. 1852, p. 104.—IB. Tr. Zoöl. Soc. IV, 1859, 206.—STRICKL.
Orn. Syn. I, 176, 1855.—NEWB. P. R. R. Rept. VI, 77, 1857.—CASS.
Birds N. Am. 1858, 58.—COOP. & SUCK. P. R. R. Rept. XII, II, 156,
1860.—COUES, Prod. B. Ariz. 14, 1866.—GRAY, Hand List, I, 1869,
51.—LORD, Pr. R. A. I. IV, III (Brit. Columb.).—RIDGWAY, Am. Nat.
VI, May, 1872, 285.—COUES, Key, 1872, 206.—GRAY, Hand List, I, 51,
1869. _Scotophilus acadicus_, SWAINS. Classif. Birds II, 217, 1837.
_Strix passerina_, PENN. Arct. Zoöl. p. 236, sp. 126, 1785.—FORST.
Phil. Transl. LXII, 385.—WILS. Am. Orn. pl. xxxiv, f. 1, 1808. _Ulula
passerina_, JAMES. (WILS.), Am. Orn. I, 159, 1831. _Strix acadiensis_,
LATH. Ind. Orn. p. 65, 1790. _S. albifrons_, SHAW, Nat. Misc. V, pl.
clxxi, 1794; Zoöl. VII, 238, 1809.—LATH. Orn. Supp. p. 14. _Bubo
albifrons_, VIEILL. Ois. Am. Sept. I, 54, 1807. _Scops albifrons_,
STEPH. Zoöl. XIII, II, 51. _Nyctale albifrons_, CASS. Birds Cal. &
Tex. 187, 1854.—BONAP. Consp. Av. p. 54.—CASS. Birds N. Am. 1858,
57.—GRAY, Hand List, I, 52, 1869. _Strix frontalis_, LICHT. Abh. Ak.
Berl. 1838, 430. _Nyctale kirtlandi_, HOY, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sc. Phil.
VI, 210, 1852. _S. phalænoides_, DAUD. Tr. Orn. II, 206, 1800.—LATH.
Ind. Orn. Supp. p. 16, 1802; Syn. Supp. II, 66; Gen. Hist. I, 372,
1828. _Athene phalænoides_, GRAY, Gen. B. fol. sp. 43, 1844. _Athene
wilsoni_, BOIE, Isis, 1828, 315.
SP. CHAR. _Adult_ (♀, 120,044, Washington, D. C., Feb., 1859; C.
Drexler). Upper surface plain soft reddish-olive, almost exactly as in
_N. richardsoni_; forehead, anterior part of the crown, and the facial
circle, with each feather with a short medial line of white; feathers
of the neck white beneath the surface, forming a collar of blotches;
lower webs of scapulars white bordered with brown; wing-coverts with a
few rounded white spots; alula with the outer feathers broadly edged
with white. Primary coverts and secondaries perfectly plain; five
outer primaries with semi-rounded white spots on the outer webs, these
decreasing toward the ends of the feathers, leaving but about four
series well defined. Tail crossed with three widely separated narrow
bands of white, formed of spots not touching the shaft on either web;
the last band is terminal. “Eyebrow” and sides of the throat white;
lores with a blackish suffusion, this more concentrated around the eye;
face dirty white, feathers indistinctly edged with brownish, causing
an obsoletely streaked appearance; the facial circle in its extension
across the throat is converted into reddish-umber spots. Lower parts,
generally, silky-white, becoming fine ochraceous on the tibiæ and tarsi;
sides of the breast like the back, but of a more reddish or burnt-sienna
tint; sides and flanks with longitudinal daubs of the same; jugulum,
abdomen, lower tail-coverts, tarsi, and tibiæ, immaculate. Wing formula,
4–3=5–1=8. Wing, 5.40; tail, 2.80; culmen, .50; tarsus, .80; middle toe,
.60.
Seven specimens before me vary from, wing, 5.25 to 5.80; tail, 2.60 to
3.00 (♀). The largest specimen is 12,053 (♀, Fort Tejon, California; J.
Xantus). This differs from the specimen described in whiter face, more
conspicuous white streaks on forehead, smaller, less numerous, red spots
below, and in having a fourth white band on the tail; this, however, is
very inconspicuous. 32,301 (Moose Factory; J. McKenzie), 9,152 (Fort
Vancouver, February; Dr. J. G. Cooper), and 11,793 (Simiahmoo, October;
Dr. C. B. Kennedy) are exactly like the type. There are no authentic
males before me, though only two are marked as females; the extremes of
the series probably represent the sexual discrepancy in size.
_Young_ (♂, 12,814, Racine, Wisconsin, July, 1859; Dr. R. P. Hoy). Upper
surface continuous plain dark sepia-olive; face darker, approaching
fuliginous-vandyke,—perfectly uniform; around the edge of the forehead,
a few shaft-lines of white; scapulars with a concealed spot of pale
ochraceous on lower web; lower feathers of wing-coverts with a few
white spots; outer feather of the alula scalloped with white; primary
coverts perfectly plain; five outer primaries with white spots on outer
webs, these diminishing toward the end of the feathers, leaving only
two or three series well defined; tail darker than the wings, with
three narrow bands composed of white spots, these not touching the
shaft on either web. “Eyebrows” immaculate white; lores more dusky;
face and eyelids dark vandyke-brown; sides of the chin white. Throat
and whole breast like the back, but the latter paler medially, becoming
here more fulvous; rest of the lower parts plain fulvous-ochraceous,
growing gradually paler posteriorly,—immaculate. Lining of the wing
plain dull white; under surface of primaries with dusky prevailing, but
this crossed by bands of large whitish spots; the three outer feathers,
however, present a nearly uniformly dusky aspect, being varied only
basally. Wing formula, 3, 4–2=5 6–7, 1. Wing, 5.50; tail, 2.80; culmen,
.45; tarsus, .80; middle toe, .65.
HAB. North America generally. Cold temperate portions in the
breeding-season, migrating southward in winter. Mexico (Oaxaca, SCLATER,
P. Z. S. 1858, 295); California (DR. COOPER); Cantonment Burgwyn, New
Mexico (DR. ANDERSON); Washington Territory (DR. KENNERLY).
[Illustration: _Nyctale acadica._ Young.]
[Illustration: _Nyctale acadica._ Adult.]
A specimen (15,917, ♂, Dr. C. B. Kennerly, Camp Skagitt, September
29, 1859) from Washington Territory is exactly similar to the young
described above. No. 10,702 (Fort Burgwyn, New Mexico; Dr. Anderson)
is much like it, but the facial circle is quite conspicuous, the
feathers having medial white lines; the reddish-olive of the breast
and the fulvous of the belly are paler, also, than in the type. No.
12,866, United States, (Professor Baird’s collection, from Audubon,) is
perfectly similar to the last.
My reasons for considering the _N. albifrons_ as the young of _N.
acadica_ are the following (see American Naturalist, May, 1872):—
1st. All specimens examined (including Hoy’s type of _N. kirtlandi_)
are young birds, as is unmistakably apparent from the texture of their
plumage.
2d. All specimens examined of the _N. acadica_ are adults. I have seen
no description of the young.
3d. The geographical distribution, the size and proportions, the pattern
of coloration (except that of the head and body, which in all Owls is
more or less different in the young and adult stages), and the shades
of colors on the general upper plumage, are the same in both. The white
“scalloping” on the outer web of the alula, the number of white spots on
the primaries, and the precise number and position of the white bars on
the tail, are features common to the two.
4th. The most extreme example of _albifrons_ has the facial circle
uniform brown, like the neck, has no spots on the forehead, and the face
is entirely uniform dark brown; but,
5th. Three out of the four specimens in the collection have the facial
circle composed of white and brown streaks (adult feathers), precisely
as in _acadica_, and the forehead similarly streaked (with adult
feathers). Two of them have new feathers appearing upon the sides of the
breast (beneath the brown patch), as well as upon the face; these new
feathers are, in the most minute respects, like the common (adult) dress
of _N. acadica_.
The above facts point conclusively to the identity of the _Nyctale
“albifrons”_ and _N. acadica_. This species is easily distinguishable
from the _N. tengmalmi_, which belongs to both continents, though
the North American and European specimens are readily separable, and
therefore should be recognized as geographical races.
Since the above was published in the American Naturalist for May, 1872,
Dr. J. W. Velie, of Chicago, writing under date of November 20, 1872,
furnishes the following proof of the identity of _N. “albifrons”_ and
_N. acadica_: “In 1868, I kept a fine specimen of “_Nyctale albifrons_”
until it moulted and became a fine specimen of _Nyctale acadica_. I had,
until the fire, all the notes about this interesting little species, and
photographs in the different stages of moulting.”
HABITS. The Little Acadian or Saw-Whet Owl, as this bird is more
generally denominated, appears to have a widespread distribution over
temperate North America. It is not known to be anywhere very abundant,
though its nocturnal and secluded habits tend to prevent any intimate
acquaintance either with its habits or its numbers in any particular
locality. It is rarely found in the daytime out of its hiding-places. It
was not met with by Richardson in the fur regions, yet it is generally
supposed to be a somewhat northern species, occurring only in winter
south of Pennsylvania, but for this impression there does not seem to be
any assignable reason or any confirmatory evidence. It has been said to
breed near Cleveland, Ohio, and its nest and eggs to have been secured.
The taking of Kirtland’s Owl, which is now known to be the immature bird
of this species, near that city, as well as in Racine, and at Hamilton,
Canada, is also suggestive that this Owl may breed in those localities.
Dr. Townsend is said to have found this Owl in Oregon, Dr. Gambel met
with it in California, Mr. Audubon has taken it both in Kentucky and
in Louisiana, Mr. Wilson met with it in New Jersey, Mr. McCulloch in
Nova Scotia, and Dr. Hoy in Wisconsin. Dr. Newberry met with this
bird in Oregon, but saw none in California. Dr. Suckley obtained it
at the Dalles, on the north side of the Columbia, in December. This
was several miles from the timbered region, and the bird was supposed
to be living in the basaltic cliffs of the vicinity. Dr. Cooper found
one at Vancouver in February. It was dead, and had apparently died of
starvation. Professor Snow speaks of it as rare in Kansas. Mr. Boardman
and Professor Verrill both give it as resident and as common in Maine.
It is rather occasional and rare in Eastern Massachusetts, and Mr. Allen
did not find it common near Springfield. On one occasion I found one of
these birds in April, at Nahant. It was apparently migrating, and had
sought shelter in the rocky cliffs of that peninsula. It was greatly
bewildered by the light, and was several times almost on the point of
being captured by hand.
This Owl is not unfrequently kept in confinement. It seems easily
reconciled to captivity, becomes quite tame, suffers itself to be
handled by strangers without resenting the familiarity, but is greatly
excited at the sight of mice or rats. Captain Bland had one of these
birds in captivity at Halifax, which he put into the same room with a
rat. The bird immediately attacked and killed the rat, but died soon
after of exhaustion.
The notes of this Owl, during the breeding-season, are said to resemble
the noise made by the filing of a saw, and it is known in certain
localities as the Saw-Whet. Mr. Audubon, on one occasion, hearing these
notes in a forest, and unaware of their source, imagined he was in the
vicinity of a saw-mill.
According to Mr. Audubon, this Owl breeds in hollow trees, or in the
deserted nests of other birds; and lays from four to six glossy-white
eggs, which are almost spherical. He states, also, that he found near
Natchez a nest in the broken stump of a small decayed tree not more than
four feet high. He also mentions the occasional occurrence of one of
these Owls in the midst of one of our crowded cities. One of them was
thus taken in Cincinnati, where it was found resting on the edge of a
child’s cradle. Mr. McCulloch, quoted by Audubon, gives an interesting
account of the notes and the ventriloquial powers of this bird. On one
occasion he heard what seemed to him to be the faint notes of a distant
bell. Upon approaching the place from which these sounds proceeded, they
appeared at one time to be in front of him, then behind him, now on his
right hand, now on his left, again at a great distance, and then close
behind him. At last he discovered the bird at the entrance of a small
hole in a birch-tree, where it was calling to its mate. As he stood
at the foot of the tree, in full sight of the bird, he observed the
singular power it possessed of altering its voice, making it seem near
or remote,—a faculty which he had never noticed in any other bird.
An egg given me by Mr. Rufus E. Winslow as one of this bird, and figured
in the North American Oölogy, was undoubtedly that of a Woodpecker.
It is of a crystalline whiteness, nearly spherical, and measures 1.13
inches in length by .87 of an inch in breadth.
A well-identified egg in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution,
taken by Mr. R. Christ at Nazareth, Penn., (No. 14,538, S. I.,) measures
.95 of an inch by .88. The two ends are exactly similar or symmetrical.
The egg is white, and is marked as having been collected April 25, 1867.