TUE 

 FLAMMULATED SCREECH OWLS 



MEGASCOPS FLAMMEOLIS (Raup) 



AND 



MEGASCOPS FLAMMEOLUS IDAHOEISSIS Merriam. 



PAR 



M. HARRY C. OBERHOLSER 



These two diminutive üwls are among the smallest ot 

 tlie genus Megascops. Difficiilt of capliire, and conse- 

 qiienlly rare in collections, a really good series nowhere 

 exists. We have becn fortunate enoiigh to bring together 

 moro than twice as many as have ever before been at one 

 time available, — in all seventoen specimcns, including 

 the type of idaJioensis. The greater part of this material 

 is, however, from the United States, the Mexican terri- 

 tory being but poorly represented. White the conclusions 

 here set forth must be considered in great measure ten- 

 tative, indispensably pending the gathering of more ma- 

 terial, yet enough has been learned to show that the 

 flammeolus group either exhibits a surprising ränge of 

 individual Variation, or will at some future time bc 

 found separable into several more or less well segregated 

 geographical races. The present material is, however, 

 entircly inadequate to Warrant such division. 



Megascops flammeolus is closely allied to the Old World 

 Megascops scops {= giii) ; and in several minor points of 

 structure dilTers from the typical species of Megascops. 



