4. SCOPS. Ill 



general use. The Brazilian bird always has a mixture of yellowish 

 in the plumage of the under surface, and the two phases of its 

 plumage are of a "brown" and "ochraceous" cast; whereas the 

 Central- American bird has a decided " rufous" phase, very like 

 Scops cisio, but always to be distinguished by its bare toes : the 

 brown phase never exhibits any ycUow shade below. A third race, 

 recognizable iu both its phases, is to be seen in Sco/is usfus from the 

 Upper Amazons. Measurements are of no help ; for the dimensions 

 of the three birds are much alike, and a summary of the specimens 

 examined gives the following results : — 



Total length. Wing. Tail. Tarsus, 



inches. inches. inches. inches. 



S. brasiliensis 8-10-5 5-85-6-0 .3-4-41 1-2-1 45 



S. mtus 9-9-5 6-45-t)-8 .3-4-3-9 l-;5 



S. guatemal<B 8-5 6-3 -6-o 3-5-3-7 1-25 



There is considerable variation in sizes among the South-American 

 birds, a specimen in the Salvin-Godman cabinet, collected by Mr. 

 Rogers in the province of Santa Catarina, measuring as follows : — 

 Total length lU"5 inches, wing 7"7, tail 5-2, tarsus 1-55. 



Subsp. a. Scops ustus. 



Scops usta, Sclater, Tr. Z. S. iv. p. 205, pi. Ixi, ; Grai/, Hand-l B. i. 

 p. 47. 



Adult male(grey phase). General colour above dull earthy brown, 

 so finely vermiculated as to appear almost uniform at first glance, a 

 few fulvescent cross markings more conspicuous on the scapulars 

 and secondaries, very slightly indicated on the hiud neck, and not 

 forming a distinct collar ; crown of head rather blacker than the 

 back, the feathers iufinitesimaUy freckled with sandy rufous, the 

 ear-tufts blackish, scarcely vermiculated at all ; loral plumes dull 

 rufous, barred with black, the shafts elongated into black hair-like 

 bristles ; feathers over the fore part of the eye buffj- white, with 

 black cross bars, scarcely forming a distinct eyebrow ; forehead and 

 sides of crown greyer than the crown itself, being greyish buff, mi- 

 nutely vermiculated with brown, and forming a lateral band which 

 runs round the nape, being here rather lighter, several of the feathers 

 barred with white ; feathers in fi'ont of and above the eye dark 

 brown ; ear-coverts sandy brown, indistinctly barred across with 

 blackish brown, and narrowly shaft-streaked with white, the hinder- 

 most ear-coverts tipped with black, and merging in the ruff", which 

 is composed of sandy buff plumes, distinctly barred across with 

 black, more narrowly on the gular feathers ; chin whitish ; rest of 

 under surface ochraceous l)uff, thickly sprinkled with wavy lines 

 and vermiculations of dark brown, especially on the sides of the 

 chest, some of the breast-feathers streaked with black and barred 

 across with white, the fianks scantily barred with dark brown, in- 

 clining to white near the tip, the markings scanty, as also on the 

 under tail-coverts ; under wing-coverts nearly uniform ochraceous 



