MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. 339 



the differences in plumage to be the result of age.* The red he believed 

 to be the young bird, and the mottled the adult, which opinion was also 

 entertained by Audubon. During the last thirty years, however, they have 

 been by some authors again regarded as distinct species ; ■(• by others % 

 the gray were regarded as the adult and the red as the young, while some 

 have held the opinion that the difference in color was sexual. A general 

 survey of the facts, either on record or known to me, show that the young 

 birds are sometimes gray and sometimes red ; that red young have some- 

 times red parents and sometimes gray ; that the female is sometimes red and 

 sometimes gray ; and also that both sexes of a mated breeding pair of old 

 birds are sometimes alike in color and sometimes different. Hence the 

 opinion already advanced, § that this variation is dependent upon neither age 

 nor sex, but is simply a case of irregular and somewhat remarkable individ- 

 ual variation of a single species, seems a well-founded one. But these dif- 

 ferent stages, though usually so different, are not always well marked, so that 

 one is often at a loss to know whether to refer certain specimens to the red 

 series or to the gray. In other words, specimens occur of every intermediate 

 grade between the typically bright red stage and the typically gray stage. 

 I have already given my reasons for referring the Scops McCalli of 

 Cassin to the common S.asio, of which it is merely the somewhat smaller 

 southern type. § It is also difficult to perceive wherein the Scops Kennicotti 

 Elliot, known thus far from a single specimen, differs essentially from a 

 common phase of S. asio.\\ 



* " Observations on the Nomenclature of Wilson's Ornithology," Journ. Phil. Acad. 

 Nat. Sci., 1st Ser., Vol. Ill, p. 357, 1824. — " Synopsis of the Birds of the United States," 

 Annals N. Y. Lye. Nat. Hist., Vol. II, p. 36, 1828. 



t Michner, Dr. Ezra, "A few Facts in Relation to the Identity of the Red and 

 Mottled Owls," Journ. Phil. Acad. Nat. Sci., 1st Ser., Vol. VII, p. 53, 1834. — Hoy, Dr. P. 

 R., "Notes on the Ornithology of Wisconsin," Proc. Phil. Acad. Nat. Sci., Vol. VI, p. 

 306, 1853; Ibid., Transact. Wisconsin Agr. Soc, Vol. II (1852), p. 344, 1853. 



J Cabot, Dr. S., Jr., " Observations on the Plumage of the Red and Mottled Owls," 

 Journ. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., Vol. II, p. 126, 1838. 



§ Allex, J. A., " Notes on the Red and Mottled Owls," American Naturalist, Vol. 

 II, p. 327, 1868. 



|| Since the above was written two adult specimens of this species have been received 

 at the Museum from Dallas, Texas, one of which is of the mottled and the other of the 

 red type of plumage. The specimen in mottled plumage, besides being generally darker 

 throughout than northern specimens, has also the dark markings broader and blacker. 

 The specimen in red plumage has the red more intense than it is in specimens of the 

 northern red type. Both the Texas specimens are a little smaller than average New 

 England specimens. 



1 have seen no specimens as yet from Florida, but from Mr. Cassin having referred a 

 specimen from Indian River, (Fla.,) provisionally to his Scops McCalli, they would seem 

 to differ but little from Texas specimens, resembling them, as would be naturally ex- 

 pected, more than northern ones. 



