SCOPS. 95 



Scops pennatus, Hoihjs. /. A. S. B. vi. p. 3G9 (pt.); Bliifh, J. A. 



• S. B. xiv. p. 183; Sir. Feathers, iii. 38; vi. 34; vii. 180. Ephialtes 



pennatus, Jerd. B. Ind. i. p. 136, No. 74 ; Murraij, Hdhk., ZooL, Sfc, 



Sind, p. 119; Sltarpe, Gat. Striges, p. 53 (Sub*Sp, B.) — The Indian 



Scops Owl. 



This little owl is very similar to S. g'lii, but of a g'reyer colour ordi- 

 narily. Specimens from Sind are usually of the rufous phase. Jerdon 

 describes both phases, whicli I extract. 



Adult. — Above ashy grey, more or less tinged w^itli rufous or rufous- 

 grey, the feathers dark-shafted, finely mottled with brown and with a 

 white subterminal spot ; wings more rufe-scent and without the white 

 spots, except on the outer scapulars as usual, and some of the greater 

 coverts; quills rnfescent, with darkish double bars, the interval between 

 the bars dusky or mottled, and the light spaces or ground colour, on 

 some of the outer primaries, rusty white in some specimens, or it may 

 be said that the quills are dusky rnfescent, mottled with pale bands; 

 the tail rnfescent with double bars, in some mottled almost throughout ; 

 beneath, the feathers are streaked dark brown, banded with white, 

 and mottled rufous-grey and brown, mostly grey on the upper part 

 and white on the lower part of the abdomen ; tarsal feathers barred 

 and mottled ; disk ashy white, with a few darker specks, and the shaft.? 

 of the frontal bristles white ; ruif marked with dark brown and rufous. 



In the rufous phase, the upper parts are uniform bx'ight golden 

 chestnut red, with black shafts, inconspicuous on the back, more dis- 

 tinct on the forehead, ear plumes and shoulders of the wings; outer 

 edge of scapulars whitish ; disk rufous with some of the feathers 

 white-shafted; ruff deep brown with the outer feathers black tipped 

 or black; beneath deeply tinged with the hue of the back, but with 

 more or less Avhite on the belly and under tail-coverts ; the breast and 

 sides of the belly with bi'owuish central black streaks, the latter with 

 transverse pencillings ; four faint bars on the inner webs of the tail 

 feathers, and the primai-ies also distinctly barred with dusky or mottled. 

 The young bird has all the feathers duller red, more black-shafted, and 

 there is much white on the lower surface; the disk too has a good 

 deal of white ; scapulars white externally, with black tips, and the 

 bars on the quills and tail feathers are more distinct, brown and 

 mottled. Bill dusky greenish ; iris pale golden yellow ; feet fleshy 

 grey. 



Length. — 7^ to 8 inches, wing 5 to 6, tail 2^ to 3. 



Hah. — Sind, Kutch, Eajputana, Coucan, Deccan, South and Central 

 India, Bengal, Punjab, N. W. Provinces and Oudh ; Nepaul, Beloochistan 

 and Afghanistan. Eecorded also from Upper Pegu, Malacca and 

 Tennaserim. 



In Sind it appears to be a winter visitant. 



Scops brucei, Hume, 8tr. Feathers, i. p. 8; td. v. 245; Murray, 

 Hdbk., ZooL, Sf-c. i Sind, ip. 119; Sliarpe, Cat. Striges, p. G3. — The 

 Striatkd Scops Owl. 



