A History of North American Birds, Land Birds. Volume 3

4

By William McGillivray, A. M.; London, 1840.

5

See Jardine’s Contributions to Ornithology, London, 1849, p. 68; 1850, p. 51; 1851, p. 119; 1852, p. 103; and Transactions of the Zoölogical Society of London, 1862, p. 201.

6

Hand List of Genera and Species of Birds, distinguishing those contained in the British Museum. By George Robert Gray, F. R. S., etc. Part I. Accipitres, Fisserostres, Tenuirostres, and Dentirostres. London, 1869.

7

I have, however, examined the sterna only of Nyctea, Bubo, Otus, Brachyotus, Syrnium, Nyctale, and Glaucidium.

8

My unpublished determinations of the North American species were furnished, by request, to Dr. Coues, for introduction into his “Key of North American Birds”; consequently the names used in these pages are essentially the same as those there employed.

9

This case of the restriction of the American representative of a European or Western Palæarctic species to the western half of the continent has parallel instances among other birds. The American form of Falcolanarius (var. polyagrus), of Corvus corax (var. carnivorus), Pica caudata (var. hudsonica and var. nuttalli) and of Ægialitis cantianus (var. nivosus), are either entirely restricted to the western portion, or else are much more abundant there than in the east. The European genera Cinclus, Coccothraustes, Nucifraga, and Columba have representatives only in the western portion of North America.

Instances of a similar relation between the plants of the Western Province of North America and those of Europe, and more striking likeness between the flora of the Eastern Region and that of Eastern Asia, are beautifully explained in Professor Gray’s interesting and instructive paper entitled “Sequoia, and its History,” an address delivered at the meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, at Dubuque, Iowa, August, 1872. The poverty in the species of tortoises, and richness in lizards, and the peculiarities of the ichthyological fauna, as well as absence of forms of Western North America and Europe, compared with Eastern North America and Eastern Asia, afford other examples of parallelism in other classes of the Animal Kingdom.

10

See Baird, Am. Journ. Arts and Sciences, Vol. XLI, Jan. and March, 1866; Allen, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoöl. Cambridge, Vol. II, No. 3; and Ridgway, Am. Journ. Arts and Sciences, Vols. IV and V, Dec., 1872, and Jan., 1873.

11

For diagnoses of these geographical races of Strix flammea, see pp. 1339 and 1340.

12

See Allen, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoöl., Cambridge, Vol. II, No. 3, pp. 338, 339, where these plumages are discussed at length.

13

Strix flammea, var. flammea. Strix flammea, Linn. S. N. I, 133, 1766, et Auct.-Strickl. Orn. Syn. I, 1855, 178. Strix alba, Scop. Ann. 1st, p. 21, 1768.—Gmel. S. N. 293.—Lath.—Daud.—Lep. and Shaw. Strix guttata, Brehm, Vög. Deutschl. p. 106, 1831. Hab. Europe and Africa.

14

Strix flammea, var. guatemalæ, Ridgway. Central American specimens differ very appreciably from Mexican and North American examples, in being considerably darker-colored in the extreme phases of plumage. Eight of eleven specimens convey an impression of decided difference in this respect at a mere casual glance. The extremes of plumage in this series are as follows:—Darkest (No. 40,961, Chimandega, Nicaragua; F. Hicks): The dusky mottling of the upper parts is altogether darker than in any example from Mexico or northward, and prevails, with great uniformity, over the entire surface; the white specks are linear, instead of roundish. On the primaries and tail, the blackish and ochraceous are about equal in extent, the latter color forming five bands on the quills, and four on the tail. The facial circle is bright dark orange above the ears, and the portion below the ears continuous black; the face is reddish-white, strongly tinged with wine-brown, while the spot in front of the eye is deep black. The whole lower parts are deep orange-ochraceous, with numerous irregular specks of dusky, which posteriorly become broken or confused into ragged zigzag transverse mottlings, while on the lower tail-coverts they form irregular transverse bars. Wing-formula, 2, 1–3. Wing, 13.00; tail, 5.90; culmen, .85; tarsus, 2.90; middle toe, 1.50. Lightest (No. 41,252, ♂, San José, Costa Rica, Aug. 23, 1865; José C. Zeledon): The dark tint above, though prevalent, is a continuous wash of grayish, instead of a fine mottling of blackish and white; the white specks are nearly obsolete. The wings are superficially plain grayish, this overlaying the ground-color of ochraceous-orange; and have visible spots only on the primaries, near their shafts. The tail has four rather distinct grayish bands. The facial circle is ochraceous, somewhat darker across the foreneck; the face white, with the ante-orbital spot claret-brown. Entire lower parts immaculate pure white. Wing-formula, 2, 1=3. Wing, 12.30; tail, 5.30; culmen, .70; tarsus, 2.75; middle toe, 1.45.

No. 24,283, Nicaragua, (Captain J. M. Dow,) is like the specimen just described, in the uniform dark wash of the upper parts, but this is deeper; the lower parts, however, are quite different, being ochraceous-orange, instead of pure white.

The remaining five specimens (from San Salvador, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua) are alike, and differ from northern birds in the deeper dark mottling of the upper parts; the white specks very conspicuous, and usually sagittate. The facial circle deep black where it crosses the foreneck. The lower parts vary in color from nearly pure white to deep orange-rufous; the dark markings of the lower surface are larger, more angular, and more transverse than in true pratincola. The wing measures 11.30–13.00; tarsus, 2.55–2.95. The northern form varies from 12.50–13.00 (wing) and 2.50–2.85 (tarsus). It is thus seen that while these southern birds average smaller in general dimensions, they have actually larger feet, the average length of the tarsus being 2.80 in the Central American series, and only 2.60 in the northern series. This exactly coincides with the case of Sturnella, the S. magna var. mexicana of the same region being smaller bodied and shorter winged than var. magna of the United States, but with much larger feet, see p.

15

Strix flammea, var. perlata. Strix perlata, Licht. Verz. Doubl. 59, 1823.—Tschudi, Av. Consp. Wiegm. Archiv. 267, 1844.—Hartt. Syst. Ind. Azara. p. 3.—Max. Beitr. III, 263 (excl. syn.).—Strickl. Orn. Syn. I, 1855, 180 (excl. syn.). Strix flammea, Darwin, Zool. Beag. 34.—Schomb. Verz. Faun. Brit. Guian. p. 732.—Spix, Av. Bras. I, 21.

This is a still further differentiated or more appreciably modified race. It differs in smaller size (wing, 11.70–12.50; tail, 4.80–5.20; tarsus, 2.40–2.75) and more square tail, while the colors also present constant differences. The tail is much lighter compared with the wings, the bands narrower and more sharply defined, though the same in number.

16

Strix flammea, var. furcata. Strix furcata, Temm. Pl. Col. 432, 1838.—D’Orb. Hist. Nat. Cuba Ois. p. 34. Hab. West Indies (Cuba and Jamaica).

This form is the most distinctly characterized of all the races of S. flammea which we have examined. It has the general plumage decidedly lighter and less rufous, while the secondaries and tail are abruptly lighter than the adjacent parts, and usually free from bands, though there are sometimes traces of them.

All the American races of Strix flammea differ very decidedly from the European form (var. flammea) in much larger size. The differences in color are not so appreciable, and there is hardly any certain difference in this respect. The extreme phases, however, appear to be darker in the var. flammea than in the var. pratincola. The supposed differences in the character of the feathers fringing the operculum, insisted on by MacGillivray (History of British Birds, III, 1840, p. 473), I am unable to appreciate, for I cannot find that they differ in the least in the two races. That excellent ornithologist states that in the American “species” the feathers of the operculum are reduced to a simple tube, having neither filaments nor shaft, while in the European bird they are perfect feathers, with all their parts complete. Though this may have been the case with the one or more specimens of pratincola examined by Mr. MacGillivray, I have yet to see an American specimen which has not the feathers of the operculum just as perfectly developed as in European examples.

17

Strix flammea, var. delicatula. Strix delicatula, Gould, P. Z. S. 1836, 140.—Ib. B. Australia, I, pl. xxxi.—Strickl. Orn. Syn. 1855, 180. Hab. Australia.

18

Strix flammea, var. javanica. Strix javanica, Gmel. S. N. I, 295, 1789.—Lath. Ind. Orn. p. 64, and Gen. Hist. I, 357.—Horsf. L. Trans. XIII, 139.—Gray, Gen. B. fol. sp. 5, pl. xv.—Sykes, P. Comm. Zoöl. Soc. pl. ii, 81.—Strickl. Orn. Syn. I, 1855, 180. Phodilus javanicus, Blyth, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. XIX, 513. Strix flammea, Pears. & Blyth. Hab. Java and Southern India, and Eastern Africa.

I have been unable to find any description of this form, and believe it to be unnamed. It is certainly not the S. dominicensis, Gmel. (S. N. 296, S. domingensis, Müll. Gray’s Hand List, 43, No. 438), not S. fusca, Vieill. (Gray’s Hand List, No. 439). The type is in the collection of the Boston Society of Natural History, and belongs to the Lafresnaye collection (No. 787).

19

Otus vulgaris. Strix otus, Linn. S. N. p. 132, 1766.—Asio otus, Less. Strickl.—Bubo otus, Savign. Ulula otus, Macgill. Otus vulgaris, Flem. Brit. An. p. 56, 1828, et Auct. O. europæus, Steph. 1. O. albicollis, Daud. O. italicus, Daud. O. communis, Less. O. aurita, Mont. O. asio, Leach. O. sylvestris, O. arboreus, and O. gracilis, Brehm.

20

Otus stygius. Nyctalops stygius, Wagl. Isis, 1832, p. 1221.—Gray, Gen. B. p. 6, ed. 2, p. 8.—Bonap. Consp. Av. p. 50. Otus stygius, Puch. Rev. Zoöl. 1849, 29.—Gray, Gen. B. fol. sp. 12.—Kaup, Monog. Strig. Cont. Orn. 1852, p. 113. Asio styg. ? Otus siguapa, D’Orb. Hist. Nat. Cuba Ois. p. 31, Tab. 2, 1840.—Gray, Gen. fol. sp. 9.—Bonap. Consp. 50 (Cuba). Otus communis, var., Less. Tr. Orn. p. 110. Hab. South America (Brazil, ? Cuba, St. Paulo, Kaup).

21

Syrnium nebulosum, var. sartorii, Ridgway (Mexican Barred Owl). Hab. Mirador, Mexico. Char. Adult (♀, 43,131, Mirador, near Vera Cruz, Mexico, “pine region”; Dr. C. Sartorius). In general appearance like nebulosum, but the brown very much darker, and less reddish,—that of the markings below very nearly black; the pattern, however, precisely the same, and there is about the same proportion between the light and the dark bars as is seen in the average of nebulosum. The face is plain dirty white without the brown bars or semicircles,—a constant and conspicuous feature in nebulosum. There is the same number of spots on the primaries, and of bands on the tail, as in nebulosum. The white beneath is without any ochraceous tinge; the primary coverts are plain dark brown. Wing-formula: 4–3=5; 1 intermediate between 8 and 9. Wing, 14.80; tail, 9.00; culmen, 1.05; tarsus, 2.20; middle toe, 1.60. This race of the S. nebulosum presents very appreciable differences from the bird of the United States. As stated above, the brown is much darker and less reddish, while the face is wholly destitute of the concentric dusky rings seen in nebulosum proper. To Dr. Charles Sartorius, who, by the presentation to the Smithsonian Institution of numerous elegantly prepared specimens, has added so much to our knowledge of the birds of the vicinity of Mirador, I take great pleasure in dedicating this new form.

22

Syrnium nebulosum, var. fulvescens. Syrnium fulvescens, Salvin, P. Z. S. 1868, 58. Char. General appearance of var. nebulosum, but smaller and much more ochraceous. Ground-color of the plumage ochraceous, inclining to a deep fulvous tint on the upper parts, but paler below. Feathers of the upper surface tipped with dark umber-brown, and sometimes with an additional bar about the middle of the feather. The fulvous bars much exposed, so as to exceed the brown in amount. Face grayish-white, tinged outwardly with ochraceous. Beneath with the markings of nebulosum on a deep and uniform ochraceous ground. Wing, 12.75; tail, 8.50; culmen, .95; tarsus, 2.45; middle toe, 1.20 (Coll. Bost. Soc., No. 367, Guatemala; Van Patten).

23

Nyctale tengmalmi, var. tengmalmi. Strix tengmalmi, Gmel. S. N. p. 291, 1789 (et Auct. var.). Nyctale t., Bonap. et Auct. Noctua t., Cuv. et Auct. Athene t., Boie. Ulula t., Bonap. et Auct. Scotophilus t., Swains. Strix dasypus, Bechst. (1791) et Auct. Nyctale d., Gray. Strix passerina, A. Meyer, 1794.—Pallas. Nyctale planiceps, Brehm, 1831. N. pinetorum, Brehm, 1831. N. abietum, Brehm, 1831. N. funerea, Bonap. 1842 (not of Linn., 1761, which is Surnia ulula). “N. kirtlandi,” Elliot, Ibis, II, Jan., 1872, p. 48 (not of Hoy!).

24

Nyctale harrisi, Cassin, Pr. Ac. Nat. Sc. Philad. IV, p. 157, Feb., 1849.—Ib. Tr. A. N. S. II, 2d series, Nov., 1850, pl. v.

25

Scops asio, var. enano, Lawrence, MSS. This well-marked race is founded upon two specimens,—one from Mexico, in the cabinet of Mr. Lawrence, and another from Guatemala, in the collection of the Boston Society of Natural History. They are exactly similar in colors; but, as might be expected, the more southern specimen is the smaller of the two. This form very closely resembles the S. atricapilla (Natt.) Steph. (Temm. Pl. Col. 145), but may be readily distinguished by the haired toes, they being perfectly naked in atricapilla. The latter species is found as far northward as Mirador.

26

Scops semitorques, Schlegel, Fauna Japonica, t. 8. For the privilege of comparing specimens of this bird with S. kennicotti, I am indebted to the courtesy of the officers of the New York Museum, who kindly sent the fine specimens of that museum for examination.

27

Bubo virginianus, var. magellanicus. Strix (δ) bubo magellanicus, Gmel. Syst. Nat. 1789, p. 286.—Daud. Tr. Orn. II, 210.—Less. Voy. Coq. I, 617; Isis, 1833, 76. Asio mag. Less. Man. Orn. I. p. 116, 1828. Bubo mag. Gray, List Birds Brit. Mus. 1844, p. 46. Strix nacuruta, Vieill. Nouv. Dict. Hist. Nat. VII, 44, 1816; Enc. Méth. III, 1281, 1823. Strix crassirostris, Vieill. Nouv. Dict. Hist. Nat. VII, 44 (1817); Enc. Méth. III, 1280. Otus crass. Gray, Gen. B. fol. sp. 6 (1844); List Birds Brit. Mus. p. 106. Bubo crass. Bonap. Consp. Av. p. 48 (1850).—Kaup, Monog. Strig. Cont. Orn. 1852, 116 (under B. virginianus). Asio crass. Strickl. Orn. Syn. I, 208, 1855. Strix macrorhyncha, Temm. Pl. Col. 62, 1820. Otus ? macr. Steph. Zoöl. XIII, pt. ii, p. 59. Otus macr. Cuv. Règ. An. (ed. 2), I, 341.—Less. Tr. Orn. p. 109. Asio macr. Less. Man. Orn. I, 117.

28

Bubo mexicanus (Gmel.) Ridgw. Asio mexicanus, Briss. Orn. I, 498, 1760.—Strickl. Orn. Syn. I, 208, 1855 (excl. syn.). Strix mexicana, Gmel. S. N. p. 288, 1789.—Lath. Ind. Orn. p. 54; Syn. I, 123; Gen. Hist. I, 314, A.—Daud. Tr. Orn. II, 214.—Shaw, Zoöl. VII, 228.—Otus mexicanus, Steph. Zoöl. XIII, pt. ii, p. 57.—Bubo clamator, Vieill. Ois. Am. Sept. pl. xx, 1807. Scops cl. Gray, List Birds Brit. Mus. 1844, p. 45. Strix clamata, Vieill. Enc. Méth. III, 1279, 1823. Strix longirostris, Spix, Av. Bras. pl. 9 a, 1824. Strix maculata, Max. Beitr. III, 281, 1830. Hab. Middle and South America generally. A very distinct species, and a typical Bubo, although usually referred to the genus Otus.

29

Nyctea scandiaca, var. nivea (see p. 000). Strix scandiaca, Linn. S. N. (12th ed.) I, 132 (1766). Nyctea scandiaca, Yawell, Hist. Brit. B. 1872, 187. Strix nyctea, Linn. S. N. I, 1766, 132. Strix nivea, Daud. Tr. Orn. II, 1800. Nyctea nivea, Gray, Gen. fol. sp. 1, pl. xii, f. 2.

30

No. 559, collection of R. Ridgway (♂, Mt. Carmel, Wabash County, Southern Illinois, October 14, 1869). 22½–54. Weight, 3½ lbs.; bill black; iris gamboge-yellow; toes ashy; claws horn-color, black at ends.

31

Surnia ulula, var. ulula. Strix ulula, Linn. S. N. I, 1766, 133. Surnia ulula, Bonap. Cat. 1838, 22.

32

Glaucidium passerinum, var. passerinum. Strix passerina, Linn. I, 133, 1766. Glaucidium passerinum, Boie, Isis, 1826, 976.—Sharpe & Dresser, Birds Europe, II, April, 1871. Surnia passerina, Keys. & Blas. Wirb. Europ. 32, 1840. Microptynx passerina, Kaup, Contr. Orn. 1852, 107. Noctua passerina, Schleg. Mus. Pays-Bas. Striges, p. 41, 1862. Strix pusilla, Daud. Tr. Orn. II, 205, 1800. Strix pygmæa, Bechst. Nat. Deutschl. IV, 978, t. xxiv, 1805. Strix acadica, Temm. Man. d’Orn. I, p. 96, 1820 (nec Gmel.).

33

Glaucidium infuscatum, var. infuscatum. Strix infuscata, Temm. Ind. Général, 1821. Athene i., Bonap. Consp. 37, 1850 (excl. syn.). Glaucidium i., Kaup, Cont. Orn. 1852, 103. ? Strix eluta, Illig. in Mus. Berl. Cab. Azar. No. 49. Strix passerinoides, Temm. Pl. Col. 344. Surnia p., Bonap. Os. Cuv. Règ. An. I, 57. Noctua p., Less. Man. & Tr. Orn.

34

Glaucidium infuscatum, var. gnoma. Glaucidium gnoma, Wagl. Isis, 1832, 275.—Kaup, Monog. Strigidæ, in Contr. to Orn. 1852, 103 (under G. infuscatum).—Strickl. Orn. Syn. I, 163, 1855 (under G. infuscatum). Athene gnoma, Gray, Gen. Birds, fol. sp. 35, 1844. Hab. Whole of Middle America, from Panama northward to the Rio Grande and Mazatlan. Probably yet to be found in Texas or New Mexico.

35

Gray, in his “Hand List,” gives in addition S. fusca, Vieill., a West Indian (“Antilles”) species, which proves to be not congeneric with S. cunicularia, and also S. domingensis (Gm.) Müll., which I cannot identify as one of the races of S. cunicularia.

36

Speotyto cunicularia, var. grallaria? ? Strix grallaria, Spix, Av. Braz. I, 21, 1824.—? Tem. Pl. Col. 146. I am by no means satisfied that this form is the true grallaria, but it seems to come nearer to it than any other described. Three specimens (two from Peru, in the National Museum, and one, without label, in the Museum of the Boston Society of Natural History) have been examined, and agree in the characters diagnosed above.

37

Speotyto cunicularia, var. cunicularia. Strix cunicularia, Molina, St. Chil. 1782, 343. Gmel. S. N. 292, sp. 28,—and of other authors referring to the South American bird.

38

Speotyto cunicularia, var. guadeloupensis, Ridgway. This bird is merely a very dark local form of the common species, though it differs very appreciably in the sharper definition, greater extent, and more intense tint of the brown markings of its plumage.

39

We give, above, three well-marked illustrations of asymmetry: two relating to the auditory apparatus of the two sides of the head, and one of opposite sides of the skull.

40

As in the case of the Strigidæ, my determinations of the North American species of Falconidæ were furnished, according to request, to Dr. Coues, for use in his “Key to North American Birds.” (R. R.)

41

By this is meant that they are all of equal length and thickness, and not progressively smaller from the posterior one to the outer, as in all Falconidæ with the sole exception of Pandion, though there is a very near approach to this feature in one or two of the species of Haliætus.

42

As in all the Strigidæ.

43

Embracing besides the Falcones all the Polyborine genera, besides Herpetotheres and Micrastur.

44

As in the Polyborine forms of the Falconinæ.

45

Extremes of sixty specimens.

46

Sometimes there are more or less distinct linear streaks on the head and neck, or on the pectoral region.

47

Sometimes the irregular markings above have a transverse tendency.

48

Falco gyrfalco, var. gyrfalco (Linn.). Falco gyrfalco, Linn. S. N. 1766, p. 130.—Gmel. S. N. 275.—Schleg. Rev. Crit. II, Tr. de Fauc. pl. iii; F. van Nederl. Vog. pls. iii and iv.—Naum. Vog. pl. cccxci. Hierofalco gyrfalco, Schleg. Bonap. Rev. Zool. 1854, 535.—Newton, Oötheca Wolleyana, I, 87, pl. c. F. gyrfalco norvegicus, Wolley. Falco gyrfalco norwegicus, Schleg. Mus. Pays-Bas, 1862, 12. Falco candicans, var. γ, Blas.

Wing, 13.00–14.50; tail, 9.30; culmen, .98; tarsus, 2.50; middle toe, 1.92.

49

Falco lanarius, var. lanarius (Schlegel). Falco lanarius, Schleg. Krit. Ueb. II, et 11.—Ib. Tr. Fauc. 6; Mus. Pays-Bas, Falcones 14; Abh. Zool. 16; Rev. 1844, 2; Naum. 1855, 252; Ibis, 1859, 86.—Bree, B. Eur. I, 1859, 37 (plate of adult!).—Tristram, Ibis, 284.—Gray, Hand List, I, 1869, 19, No. 171. Pelz. Ueb. der Geier und Falk. II, 1863, 20. Falco lanarius α, Schleg. Tr. Fauc. 23. Gennaia lanarius, Schleg.—Bonap. Rev. 1854, 535. Falco feldeggii, Schleg. Abh. Zool. 3–6.

50

Falco lanarius, var. mexicanus (Licht.). Falco mexicanus, “Licht. Mus. Berol.”—Schleg. Abh. Zool. 1841, 15.—Schleg. Falcones, Mus. Pays-Bas, 1862, 18.—Pelz. Neb. der Geier und Falk. II, 1863, 19. “Falco sublanarius, Natterer.”—Pelz. Ueb. der Geier und Falk. II, 1863, 19.

51

Falco lanarius, var. jugger (Gray). Falco jugger, Gray, Hardw. Ill. Ind. Zool. II, pl. xxvi, 1832.—Bonap. Consp. 24.—Gould, B. Asia, pl. i.—Jerdon, B. India, 30.—Strickl. Orn. Syn. 1855, 79, No. 129.—Schleg. Abh. pl. xv; Mus. Pays-Bas. I, 17. Falco lugger, Jerd. Aladr. Journ. X, p. 80; Ill. Ind. Orn. pl. xliv.—Blyth, Journ. Ass. Soc. Bengal, XI, 104. Falco thermophilus, Hodgs. Zool. Misc. 1844, 81. Falco lanarius? Blyth, J. As. Soc. Beng. XIX, 318.

52

Extremes of more than one hundred specimens measured!

53

Falco communis, var. orientalis (Gmelin). Falco orientalis, Gmel. S. N. 1789, 264.—Lath. Ind. Orn. 22.—Ib. Gen. Hist. I, 162.—Daud. Tr. Orn. II, 76.—Strickl. Orn. Syn. I, 1855, 83. Two specimens examined, from Japan (Nat. Mus., 1; Philad. Acad., 1).