710 BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Northwestern Mexico, in State of Chihuahua (Durasno) . 



Megascops vinacens Bhewstek, Auk, v, Jan., 1888, 88 (Durasno, Chihuahua; 



coll. W. Brewster); viii, 1891, pi. 3, lower fig. — Hasbrouck, Auk, x, 1893, 



251, 264. 

 Scops vinaceus Gurnet, Cat. Birds of Prey, 1894, 38. — Salvin and Godman, Biol. 



Centr.-Am., Aves, iii, 1897, 19. 

 [Scops] vinacea Sharps, Hand-list, i, 1899, 289. 



OTUS COOPERI (Ridgway). 



COOPER'S SCREECH OWL." 



Very similar in coloration to the grayish phase of 0. choliha, but 

 toes very distinctly bristled; under parts much more densely ver- 

 miculated, legs much more rufescent and more distinctly barred, 

 white variegation on outermost scapulars much less conspicuous, and 

 lighter bands on remiges and rectrices narrower and more numerous; 

 tail relatively much shorter, legs longer, and toes and claws larger. 



Adults {sexes alike). — Above light grayish brown or pale drab- 

 brown, minutely vermiculated with dusky, the feathers of pileum 

 and back having mesial, chain-like, streaks of blackish; outer webs 

 of exterior scapulars inconspicuously variegated with white in-egular 

 spotting; outer webs of primaries with quadrate spots of pale fulvous 

 margined with blacldsh, there bemg about ten of these spots on longest 

 quill; tail crossed by about ten to twelve narrow bands of pale ful- 

 vous likewise margined on each side by a dusky line; face brownish 

 white, finely but distinctly barred with dusky brown, the "eyebrow" 

 (superciliary region) lighter and more coarsely mottled; face bor- 

 dered laterally or posteriorly by a distinct narrow band of dusky 

 spots; under parts white, densely penciled with blackish and grayish 

 brown zigzag lines, imparting a light brownish appearance to the 

 general surface; legs light rusty brown thickly barred with deeper 

 brown; ''iris lemon yellow; cere, bUl, and feet yellowish green." ^ 



Young. — General color above light grayish brown broken by very 

 minute and rather indistinct transverse vermiculations of dusky and 

 larger but still inconspicuous transverse markings of white, these 

 larger and more obvious on outer webs of middle wing-coverts; under 

 parts dull whitish crossed everywhere with transverse vermiculations 

 or irregular narrow pencUluigs of dusky, strongly suffused with pale 

 brownish on chest, where the vermiculations are minute and confused; 

 flanks and under tail-coverts with bars broad and distinct, the inter- 

 spaces nearly pure white and wider than the mottled-brownish bars; 

 remiges and rectrices (if developed) as in adults; bill pale horn color, 

 yellowish at tip ; iris yellow; claws pale horn color, darker terminally. 



a Named for Senor Juan Cooper, of Cartago, Costa Rica, well known as a collector 

 of Costa Rican birds, and collector of the type-specimen of the present species. 

 6 Juan Cooper, on label. 



