1887.] PROCEEDINGS OF UJIITFiD STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 267 



DESCRIPTION OF TWO NEW SPECIES OF KAUP'S GENUS MEGAS- 



COPS. 



Br ROBERT RID01VAV. 



1. Megascops vermiculatus, sp. uov. 



? Scops gtiatemaJce {Scops brasUlanns, Sabsp. J.] Sharpe, Cat. B, Brit. Mas., ii, 1875, 112 



(part ?). 

 Scojys brasUianns, d. giiatemalw Ridgw. Pr. U. S. Nat. Mas., i, 1878, 93-102 (part ; .spec. 



No. 55978, Costa Rica). 



Sp. Char. — Similar to *S'. nudipcs in only partially feathered tarsus 

 and total absence of any black or dusky bar across side of head, but 

 plumage much more uniform, both above and below, and feathering of 

 legs light brownish or brownish white, distinctly barred with brown, 

 instead of plain bright ochraceons. 



Hah. — Costa Eica. 



Adult (type, Xo. 55978, Costa Rica ; General Lawrence). — Above 

 nearly uniform mummy-brown or deep cinnamon-brown, irregularly, 

 and in places rather coarsely, vermiculated with dusky, but without 

 any trace of streaks; outer .webs of exterior scapulars irregularly barred 

 or spotted with white ; lowermost middle and greater wing-coverts 

 with a large part of their outer webs white, forming conspicuous roundish 

 or oblong spots; primary-coverts dusky, crossed by two distinct bauds 

 of tawny brown, and tipped broadly with the same color mixed with 

 dusky ; outer webs of primaries cinnamon-brown, spotted with white, 

 the spots approximating a semicircular shape, and margined distinctly 

 with dusky ; they number about six on the longer quills, and gradually 

 change in color to a light cinnamon-brown on the shorter quills ; sec- 

 ondaries rather deeper cinnamon-brown, irregularly barred with dusky 

 and very indistinctly banded with a lighter shade of the general color. 

 Tail irregularly banded with dusky and cinnamon-brown, the latter 

 prevailing terminally, the former basally. Entire head and neck cin- 

 namon-brownish, narrowly and rather indistinctly but very regularly 

 barred with dusky, but without trace of other markings ; eyebrow 

 somewhat lighter than general color, but not at all distinctly so. Lower 

 parts dull whitish, tinged with dull rusty, everywhere coarsely vermic- 

 ulated with dusky brownish, hut without any longitudinal marlcingH. 

 Wing G.50, tail 3.30, culmen .55, tarsus l.OS (naked in front for .33), 

 middle toe .85. 



Another specimen (Xo. 90398, Dr. VanPatteu) is very much like the 

 type, but is rather deeper colored, the dusky markings above more 

 distinct, those on the pileum and hind-neck spot like, though still de- 

 cidedly transverse; the dusky vermiculation of the under surface is 

 rather less regular, and in places rather coarser, while on the fore-neck 

 and breast are some decided indications of dusky mesial streaks. Wing 



