442 



PREYING BIRDS — RAPTORES. 



of tarsus and toes. From Athene it diflers in jwoportion of toes, of quills, 

 etc. ; the tai-sus being shorter, and the outer primaries mucli more elongat- 

 ed. The bristly bare legs are the only point common to the two genera. 

 (Ooues.) 



Micrathene Whitne5ri, Cooper. 



WHITNEY'S OWL. 



Athene WTiitnciji, Cooper, Proc. Ca). Acad. N. Sc. II. 186.3,118. — Micrathene Whitney!, 

 CouES, Pr. A. N. Sc. 1860, .'51. —Elliot, 111. B. N. A. XII. ; plate. 



Sr. CllAR. Above liiilit brownifh-f^ray, tbickly spotterl with nnpular pale brown dots, 

 most densely on bead, but those on baek largest ; back also somewhat barred with waving 



A. Wtitneyi. 



lines of the same color. A concealed white bar crosses the middle of feathers on back of 

 neck, tbrniing a collar, the bases of these feathers being plumbeous like those of the rest 

 Quills with three to si.x spots on each web, those on the inner web white, as are those on 



