STIUGID.E — THE OWLS. 



47 



covered the bird at the entrance of a small hole in a birch-tree, where it 

 was calling to its mate. As he stood at the foot of the tree, in full siglit of 

 the bird, he observed the singular power it possessed of altering its voice, 

 making it seem near or remote, — a faculty which lie liad never noticed in 

 any otiier bird. 



An esi'"' a'iven me bv ^Ir. llufus 1!. Winshiw as one of this liird, and figured 

 in tlie Xorth American Oology, was undoubtedly that of a Woodpecker. 

 It is of a crystalline whiteness, nearly spherical, and measures 1.13 inches 

 in length by .87 of an inch in breadth. 



A well-identified egg in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution, 

 taken by Mr. E. Christ at Nazareth, I'enn., (No. 14,5o8, S. I.,) measures .95 

 of an inch by .88. Tlie two ends are exactly similar or symmetrical. The 

 egg is white, and is marked as having been collected April 25, 1SG7. 



Genus SCOPS, Savigny. 



Scops, Savigny, 1S09. (Type, Strix scops, L. = Scops zona (Gii.) Swains.) 

 EpkialUis, Keys. & Bl. 1840, ncc Schuank, 1S02. 

 Megascops, Kaup, 1848. (Tyjn', Sfrix ctsio, L. ) 



Gen. CnAR. Size .small, the head provided with ear-tufts. Bill light-colored ; iris 

 yellow. Three to four outer quills with inner webs sinuated. Wings long (more than 

 twice the length of the 



tail, which is short and ..^'tf^' " ' — ^':i^ /"^ ' 



slightly rounded) ; second 

 to fifth quills longest. 

 Toes naked, or only 

 scantily feathered. Ear- 

 conch small and simple. 

 Plumage exceedingly va- 

 riegated, the colors dif- 

 ferent .sliades of brown, 

 with rufous, black, and 

 white, in fine mottlings 

 and peucillings; feathers 

 above and below usually 

 w ith blackish shaft-streaks, 

 those beneath usually with 

 five transverse bai-s ; 

 primaries spotted with 

 whitish, and outer web? 



of the lower row of scapulars the same edged terminally with blacl 

 banded. 



Scops nsio. 



Tail obscurely 



The species of this genus are cosmopolitan, the greater number, however, 

 being found in tropical regions. All the American species differ from 

 ;S'. zorca of Europe in having tlie fourtli and fifth ([uills longest, instead of 

 the second, and in having three to four, instead of only two, of the outer 



