98 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



y. ustus. 



Scopa Hsta, Scl., P. Z. S. March 9,1858, 132 (Kga, Upper Amazons. — Mus. Norwich); 

 Traus. Zool. Soc. LoiuL IV, 1859, 265, pi. Ixi.— Gray, Hand-1. 1, 1869, 47.— Bouc, 

 Cat. Av. 1876, 91.— Scl. & Salv., P. Z. S. 1866, 198 ; Ex. Oru. 102. 

 Scops In-asllianus, subsp. a. Scojys nstiis, SiiARPE, Cat. Strig. Brit. Mus. 1875, 111 

 (Sarayacu and Chamicuros, E. Peru; Venezuela?). 



Habitat. — Upper Amazonia (Ega; Scl., L c. ; Chamicuros and Sara- 

 yacu, E. Pern, and Venezuela?; Sharpe, I. c). 



This form I have never seen, and therefore have to give descriptions 

 at second hand. The original one (Sclater, I. c.) is as follows : — 



" Supra saturate castaneo-brunnea, plumis omnibus nigro subtilissime 

 vermiculatis ; facie et gula pure castaneobruuneis, hac pallidiore : linea 

 post regionem auricularem,cornuum capitis extautium marginibus latis 

 et pileo supero nigris : alarum pennis pallide castaneobruuneis nigro 

 puuctulatis, intus autem ochracenti-albidis, quinque et sex fasciis latis 

 in pogonio externo, raaculas quadratas efficieutibus, nigris trans-vitta- 

 tus ; Cauda ex eodem colore sed fasciis nigris psene obsoletis : subtus 

 clarius brunnea, lineis augustis longitudinalibus, scapus plumorum 

 occupantibus, nigris parcenotata: tectricibus alarum inferioribus sor- 

 dide albis : tarsis pallide fulvis : rostro et pedibus flavis. 



" Long, tota 8.5, alae 7.0, caudie 4.0, tarsi 1.2. 



" Hub. Ega, on the Upper Amazon (H. W. Bates)." 



The above description, and the plate accompanying it, represent a form 

 of Scops of which I have never seen typical examples. It seems clearly 

 to belong to 8. brasilianus, of which it is probably a peculiar " strain " — 

 hardly to be called the rufescent extreme (since the latter is to be found 

 in the bright rufous phase of '•'• guatemaloi'''')., but rather showing a very 

 highly-colored condition, in which the rufous tint is spread rather than 

 intensified, so as to more or less completely obliterate the usual white 

 markings. The case seems to be somewhat parallel to that of 8. Icennicotti 

 as comi)ared with 8. asio, and is probably more or less closely connected 

 with climatic peculiarities of the district inhabited by the race ; for 

 instance, an excessive rainfall and a prevalence of denser and darker 

 forests than generally exist to the eastward. 



According to Mr. Sclater (/. c), this form " is distinguishable from 



every South American member of the genus by its rich brown 



coloring above and below, and by the longitudinal lines below not being 

 crossed as in 8. choliba and nS. atricapillaJ^ 



Among the numerous specimens of 8co2}s brasilianus in the series 

 before me, is one which seems to approach quite nearly to the characters 

 of this race, l)eiug devoid of shar{)ly defined black bars below, where, 

 in their place, are extremely irregular ragged zij^zags of rusty rutous, 

 the blackish shaft-streaks being unusually broad, and externally suffused 

 with rufous; only the terminal half, or exposed jjortion, of the abdom- 

 inal feathers is white, the entire breast, tibife, and tarsus having a 

 uniform deep ochraceous groundcolor. Among other difiereuces from 



