STmOID.l'; — THE OAVLS. 



17 



inches in length by 1.38 in breadth. Another, obtained in New jMe.xico, 

 measnres 1.(39 by 1.2."). It.s color is a dirty yellowi.sli-wliite, its shape an 

 oblong oval, hardly more pointed at tlie smaller than at tlie larger end. 



An egg from Monterey, California, collected by Dr. Canfield, measures 1.70 

 inclies in length by 1.25 in breadth, of an oblong-oval sliape, and nearly 

 equally obtuse at either end. It is of a uniform bluish-white. Another 

 from the Eio Grande is of a soiled or yellowisli wliite, and of tlie same size 

 and shape. 



Genus OTUS, Cl'vier. 



Otus, Cl-v. Reg. An. 1799. (Type, Strix oliis, Liss.) 



Asia, SwAlxs. 1831 {ncc Brisson, 1760). 



Brachyotus, Gould, P. Z. S. 1837, 10. (Type, Slryx brachyohis.) 



^rmUus, Kky.s. & Bl. 1840 (Tifc K.\up, 1829). 



Cii.vR. Size medium. Ear-tuft.^ well developed or riuliraeiitary ; head small; eyes 

 small. Cere much arehed, its length more than the chord of the culmen. Bill weak, 

 compressed. Only tlie first, or first and second, outer primary with its inner web emar- 

 ginated. Tail about half the win.a;, rounded. Ear-conch very large, gill-like, about as long 

 as the height of the skull, with an anterior operculum, which extends its full length, and 

 bordered posteriorly by a raised membrane : the two ears asymmetrical. 



Species and Varieties. 



A. Otcs, Cuvier. Ear-tufts well developed ; outer quill only with inner web 



emarginated. 



Colors blackish-brown and bufify-ochraeeous, — the former predominating 

 above, where mottled with whitish ; the latter prevailing beneath, and 

 variegated with stripes or bars of dusky. Tail, primaries, and secondaries, 

 transversely barred (obsoletely in 0- stygiux). 



1. O. vulgaris. Ends of primaries normal, broad ; toes feathered ; 

 face ochraceou.s. 



Dusky of tlie upper parts in form of longitudinal stripes, con- 

 trasting conspicuously with the paler ground-coloi-. Beneath with 

 ochraceous prevalent ; the markings in form of longitudinal stripes, 

 with scarcely any transverse bars. Hnh. Europe and considerable 

 part of the Old World var. vulgaris} 



Dusky of the upper parts in form of confused mottling, not con- 

 trasting con.-^picuously with the paler ground-color. Beneath with 

 the ochraceous overlaid by the whitish tips to the feathers ; the 

 markings in form of transverse bars, which are broader than the 

 narrow medial streak. Wing, 11.50-12.00; tail, 6.00-6.20; 

 culmen, .65; tarsus, 1.20-1.25; middle toe, 1.15. Wing-formula, 

 2, .3-4-1. JIah. North America . . . var. to ilsoni anus. 



2. O. stygius.^ Ends of primaries narrow, that of the first almost 

 falcate ; toes entirely naked ; face du.sky, or with dusky prevailing. 



1 Ohis vulgaris. Strix otus, Linn. S. N. p. 132, 1766. — Asio otus, Less. STniCKL. — .Bm6o 

 olus, Savign. Olula otus, Macgill. Otus vulgaris, Flem. Brit. An. p. 56, 1828, et AucT. 

 0. curop/Bus, Steph. 1. 0. albicoUis, Dahd. 0. italicus, Daud. 0. communis, Less. 0. 

 auriia, Mont. 0. asin. Leach. 0. sylvcstris, 0. arboreus, and 0. gracilis, Bp.eiim. 



2 Otus stygius. Nyclalops stygius, Wagl. Isis, 1832; p. 1221. — Gr.AV, Gen. B. p. 6, ed. 2, 

 vnt,. in. 3 



