FLAMMEA.
Yellow, grey and white Owls ; no ear tufts; nocturnal, partial to old buildings ; nest in buildings, hollow trees or cliffs.
Flarnmea alba alba (Scopoli). BARN OWL. Fr. Effraye ; Ger. Schleiereule ; /la/. Barbag,ianni ; Swed. Tornuggla.
? Above rufous yellow, vermiculated grey and spotted with dark grey and white ; disc white, a chestnut spot in front of eye, frill white or ochreous ; beneath white with or without a few black spots and sometimes with rufous tinge on breast. Bill ivory white. Tarsus covered with short feathers, toes with bristles. Iris black. Wing 260-303. Tarsus 50-58. Bill 22-25.
Resident —W . Europe from British Isles through W. France to Portugal and Spain ; Italy, Albania, to Cyprus and Meso potamia ; also N. Africa (Morocco to Egypt) ; W. Canary Islands.
F. alba guttata (Brehm). Above, feathers dark grey almost to base (therefore little rufous yellow shows), with small black drop-like marks and white tips ; disc vinous to white, a black spot in front of eye, ruff brownish rufous with black tips, sides of head and neck and underparts rufous, last spotted throughout with small black spots ; occasional birds are indistinguishable from "alba."
Resident—S. Sweden, Denmark, Baltic Provinces, and C. Europe south of Baltic to Alps, Austria, Hungary, and S.W. Russia north to Tula Govt. Occurs in Rumania in winter ; occasional in Britain.
Birds from E. France are intermediate between "alba" and "guttata." F. alba ernesti (Kleinschmidt). Above bright yellowish rufous ; beneath satin white with a very few spots on abdomen. and Corsica.
F. alba schmitzi (Hartert). Grey above as in "guttata" but paler and bases of feathers rufous ; beneath white tinged rufous with larger spots ; a very distinct red brown spot in front of eye.
Resident.— Madeira.
F. alba gracilirostris (I lartert). Hill and legs muchmore slender ; spots smaller than in " schmitzi." Wing z65 (H.).
Resident.—E. Canaries (Fuerteventura and