MOEPHOLOGY OF THE OWLS. 243 



Pt. colli dorsalis. — With a slight lateral skin-fold : no retractor muscle. 



Pt. spinalis. — Ai'ms of inter sea j)ular fork ai-ising- rather ahove the middle of the inter- 

 scapular region, not widely divergent, but running almost parallel, terminating at the 

 end of the scapula. Branches of the lumbar fork arising midway between tlie anterior 

 end of the ilium and the acetabulum ; widely divergent ; base of the stem forked poste- 

 riorly, so as to embrace the oU-gland. 



Pt. ventralis. — Outer branch feeble ; median strong, recurved ; inner relatively broad 

 and strong, arising just in front of the region of the anterior end of the carina of the 

 sternum, terminating in front of the cloacal aperture. 



Pt. Inmieralis continued forwards to form the jd. ventralis at the summit of the 

 shoulder. 



Pt. alaris : — 



Tectrices majores. — The 5th cubital covert of the dorsal surface slightly shorter than 

 the 4th, but equal in length to the Gth. 



T. media;. — The 5th cubital covert of the dorsal surface much the longest in the series, 

 the feathers rapidly lengthening from 1-5 ; Gth much shorter than 5, slightly shorter 

 than remaining proximal coverts. The proportions of the rest of the coverts much as 

 in A. accijntriiius. 



Pt.femoralis. — Ecmoro-crural baud terminating over the distal end of the femur 

 above the knee-joint. 



Pt. o'uralis. — Acrotarsium covered with relatively short feathers. Feathers on the 

 acropodium scanty, degenerated, confined strictly to the upper surface ; sides of toes 

 bare, covered with granulated skin ; base of ungual phalanx covered by three scales. 



Rhamiihotheca. — Cere very short, much inflated. Nostrils pierced in its anterior 

 border; aperture circular, looking directly forwards, and not laterally, as in other Owls. 



UrojJi/giiim napiform, with a tendency to a conical form, as in Buho. 



Scops giu, Scop. 



Pteryla capitis : — 



Loreal area not qviite so well defined as in S. leucotis, and the feathers not 

 elongated as in that species. 



Interramal area with a narrow branch running obliquely backwards to join the 

 ramal area behind level of the gape. 



E, a m a 1 area narrow, not extending backwards beyond the end of the mandible. 



Pt. colli dorsalis -with a lateral skin-fold and a short retractor muscle crossing the 

 neck obliquely. 



Pt. s/j/»a//s.— Interscapular fork as in S. leucotis. Lumbar fork with the branches 

 rising near the anterior border of the ilium and dividing at the base into two rows of 

 semipluiues, one of w^hich runs out on to the axillary membrane, and one is continued 

 upwards to join the free ends of the interscapular fork, enclosing an oval apterium. 

 Pt. alaris : — 



Tectrices majores. — The 5th cubital covert slightly shorter than the 4th, but longer 

 than the Gth. 



