SCOPS ASIO, SCKEECH OWL. 303 



supposed, of being automatic, depending upon tbe stimulus of ligbt. I 

 frequently saw tbem instantaneously contract or relax the quivering- 

 iris in accommodating their vision to different objects, or different dis- 

 tances ; and moreover, they could move tbe two irides independently 

 of each other. For they often looked at objects with one eye only, tbe 

 other being sleepily half-closed ; and on such occasions the pupils were 

 generally of different sizes. They varied in diameter from that of a small 

 split-pea, to that of a finger-ring ; in tbe latter condition the iris was a 

 mere margin, about a tenth of an inch in diameter. In tbe night-time, 

 I always found tbe pupil largely if not fully dilated ; at every stage of 

 contraction it remained perfectly circular. 



SCOPS ASIO, (Linn.) Bp. 



Red Owl; Mottled Owl; Screech Owl. 



a. asio. 



Strix asio, Linn., Syst. Nat. i, 176G, 13*2 {Nociua aiirifa minor, Catf.s., i, 7; Acio scops 

 caroliiieiisis,'^ B\uss., i, 497).— Gm., Svst. Nat. i, 1788,287. — Lath., Iiul. Oru. i, 

 1790, 54.— Daud., Tr. Oni. ii, 1800,^216.— Shaw, G. Z. vii, 1809, 229.— Wils., 

 Am. Oru. v, 1812, 8:?, pi. 42, f. 1.— Bi'., Syn. 1828, 36; Isis, 1832, 1139.— Aid., 

 Orn. Biog. i, 1832, 486; v, 1839, 392; pi. 97.— Nutt., Man. i, 1832; 120.— Brew., 

 cd. Wils. 687. 



Scops asio. Bp., Comp. List, 1838. 6 ; Consp. i, 1S50, 45.— Less., Tr. Oru. 107.— Kaup, 

 Mon. Sfrif/. Cout. Oru. 1852, 112.— Cass., 111. 1854, 179.— Strickl., Oru. Svn. 

 1855, 199.— Brew., N. A. Oi'll. 1857, 65.— Bn., B. N. A. 1858, 51.— Coop. & Suck., 

 N. H. \Yniih. Ter. 1860, 155?— Coop., B. Cal. i, 1870, 420.— Mayn., Nat. Guide. 

 1870, 131.— COUES, Key, 1872, 202, fig. 136— B. B. & R., N. A. B. iii, 1874, 49 ; 

 and of most authors. 



Buho asio, Vieill., Oif. Am. Sept. i, 1807, 53, pi. 21.— Aud., Syn. 1839, 29 ; B. Am. i, 1840, 

 147, pi. 40.— DeKav, N. Y. Zool. 1844, pi. 12, (igs. 25, 26.— GiR., B. L. I. 1814, 

 28.— Maxim., J. f. O. 1858, 23. 



Hihnu asio, Temm., Planch. Color. No. 80. 



Ofiis OHIO, Stepii., Gen. Zool. xiii, pt. ii. 57. 



Ephkiltcs asio. Gray, Gen. of B. — Wooim., Sitgr. Rep. 18,53, 62. 



atrix wa-LvV/,, GM.,Syst. Nat. i, 1788, 289.— Lath., Ind. Oru. i, 1790, 55.— Daud., Tr. Oru. ii, 

 1800, 217.— Shaw, Gen. Zool. vii, 230.— Wils., Am. Orn. iii, 1812, 16, pi. 19, f. 1. 



Asio na'ria, Less., Man. Oru. i, 117. 



Otus udvius, Cuv., R. A. i, 2d ed. 341. 



Siiniiii na;via, .Jam., ed. Wils. i, 96, 99. 



Bilbo sirialiiK, Vieii.l., Ois. Am. Sept. i, 1807, .54, pi. 21. 



" Ephialtcs ocreata, Licht., Mus. Berol." 



b. Iceunicottii. 



Scops l-ciuiirottii, Elliot, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1867,69 : B. Am.]), xxvii, pi. 1 1.— DaLL & BaNN., 

 Tr. Chic. Acad, i, IS(ii), 273.— ]5d., ihid. 311, pi. 27 (Sitka).— Fixscn, Abh. Nat. 

 iii, 1872, 28 (Alaska). 



Scojjs asio var. kriniicottii, Coues, Key, 1872, 203.— B. B. & K., N. A. B. iii, 1874, 53. 



c. maccaUii. 



Ephialtcs clinliha, L.vWR., Ann. Lvc. N. V. vi, 1853, 4 (not of Vieill.). 



Scops maccaUii, Cass., 111. 1854, 180 — Strkkl., Orn. Svn. 1855, 200.— Brew., N. A. Ool. 

 1857, 66.— Bd., B. N. A. 1858, 52, pi. 39; Mex. B. Surv. ii, 18.59, pt. ii. Birds. 4, 

 pi. 1.— Dre.ss., Ibis, 1865, 3:50 (Texas). {Xot Scops Irichopsix, Wagl., Isis, 1832, 

 276: See ScL. «S: Sala., P. Z. 1868, .57. ») 



Scoj)8 asio var. maccaUii, Coues, Key, 1872, 203.— B. B. &, R., N. A. B. iii, 1874, 52. 



d. JioHdanHn. 



(.f) Scops asio. Car., .T. f. O. iii, 465 (Cuba). 



l^cops asio var. ftoridanus, Ridgw. — B. B. *& R., N. A. B. iii, 1874, 51. 



"Mr. Kidgway has ealli'd my attention to the fact, that .*>. Iriihopsis of Wagler, to 

 which maiiaUil is referred by .*>clatei- and Salviu, as Mli"Vf (|iioted, is u perfect ly dis- 

 tinct species, as, on examinatiou of tyi»ieal specimens, 1 liml it to be. 



