LOPHOSTRIX.—SCOPS. 15 
1873, from the slopes of the Volcan de Agua, above the village of San Diego. The 
iris of these fresh specimens was bright yellow and the toes lead-colour. 
Southward of Guatemala it has been traced to Costa Rica and the State of Panama. 
Near San José, in the former country, Mr. Cherrie says it is resident but rather rare. 
SCOPS. 
Scops, Savigny, Syst. Ois. Egypte, p. 9 (1810) ; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. ii. p. 43. 
Megascops (subgenus), Kaup, Isis, 1848, p. 769. 
Excluding the two species of Lophostrix which Dr. Sharpe places in Scops, twenty- 
three species and twenty-seven subspecies are included in that author’s catalogue of 
Striges published in 1875. ‘This statement alone shows how variable the members of 
Scops are and how much room there is for difference of opinion as to the specific limits 
of the geographical and other forms. Many of the species are dichromatic and, more- 
over, it appears from recent observations that one form may change in the same 
individual into another. Besides these recognized states of plumage there is apparently 
endless individual diversity of colour, so that only from a general impression derived 
from a number of specimens seen together, which must, from their being found in 
the same district, belong to one species, can some slight clue to the existence of different 
races be obtained. 
We have arrived at the conclusions which follow as to the number of species in our 
region after a prolonged study, in which we have had Dr. Sharpe's aid. We have also 
had the great benefit of a correspondence with Mr. Ridgway, and the loan of some of 
his types, and we have accepted his views so far as our series of specimens, now a very 
extensive one, has permitted us. The result, we still fear, must be modified hereafter 
to some extent; but the majority of the eleven species we recognize will, we have 
little doubt, be left to stand as such. 
The species of Scops of North America are sharply divided from those of the 
southern continent by the feathering of the toes. Many of those of Central America 
are intermediate in this respect, the feathers of the digits being replaced by bristle-like 
feathers. With these occur birds of purely southern type, though the latter probably 
affect the hotter low-lying districts. 
Scops may be distinguished from Budo, which it resembles in having prominent 
ear-tufts, by the much smaller size of all the species, some of which are amongst the 
smallest of the Owls, and by the distinct style of coloration. The wings, too, are 
comparatively longer and reach to the extremity of the tail. 
The range of Scops embraces the whole of the Old World except the extreme north. 
It is absent from Australia and from Oceania. In North America forms of Scops are 
found from Canada and Sitka southwards, and in South America only Argentina, 
Patagonia, and Chili are outside its range. 
