262 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS: 



d-. Pluinago graj-ish brown, or decidedly brownish gray, above, the 

 blacliish me.sial streaks usually narrower and less conspicuously- 

 contrasted ; bars on lower parts coarser and less crowded ; black 

 border to face usually with distinct admixture of brown, and 

 black spots on breast with distinct brown exterior suffusion ; 

 length about 8.50-10.00, wing 6.30-7.20 (6.60), tail 3.30-3.90 

 (3.58). Ejgs 1.38 X 1.18. Sab. California. 



373f. M. asio bendirei (Buewst.). California Screech Owl. 



c*. Larger, the wing averaging more than 6.75. 



(34.) d\ The grayer specimens hardly distinguishable in plumage from M. 



asio bendirei, but size decidedly greater ; plumage varying to 



deep umber-brownish (especially in specimens from Pacific 



coast district); wing 6.92-7.80 (7.25), tail 3.65-4.60 (4.26). 



Eggs 1.50 X 1-27. Sab. Northwest coast, from Oregon to 



Sitka, and east to northern Montana (Hellgatc). 



373^/. M. asio kennicottii (Elliot). Kennicott's Screech Owl. 



d'. Very light-colored, pure white largely predmninaliiig on lower 



parts, the upper parts varying from pale huffy grayish to pale 



dull graj-ish cinnamon, with the white spots on outer webs of 



exterior scapulars and quills larger than in other forms, the 



latter sometimes more or less confluent; wing 6.70-7.50 



(6.91), tail 3.30^.00 (3.66). Sab. Higher Eocky Mountains, 



from Colorado to eastern Montana (Fort Custer).. 373('. M. asio 



maxwelliae (RiDiiw.). Rocky Mountain Screech Owl. 



ft'. Toes entirely naked, to extreme base. 



Adult: Above finely mottled grayish, relieved by irregular blackish mesial 

 streaks ; outer webs of outermost scapulars bright ochraceous or orange- 

 rufous (white beneath surface) ; outer webs of lower middle wing-coverts 

 white, forming conspicuous spots; lower parts whitish, marked with 

 very distinct broad mesial streaks and narrower bars or transverse lines 

 of blackish ; face and throat — sometimes whole upper parts — sometimes 

 more or less tinged or washed with orange-rufous. Youfig : Above 

 mottled transversely with grayish and whitish, but without any longi- 

 tudinal markings ; lower parts similarl3-but more coarsely and regularly 

 barred. Wing 5.10-5.00, tail 2.00-3.00. J?^^s about 1.13 X -OS. Sab. 

 Highlands of Guatemala and Mexico, and northward to Colorado and 

 northern California ( Fort Crook). 

 (35.) 374. M. flammeolus (Kaup). Flammulated Screech Owl. 



Genus BUBO Dum£ril. (Page 250, pi. LXXVI., fig. 1.) 

 Species. 

 C0.MMON Characters. — Plumage irregularly varied with buffj', tawny, or whitish 

 (or all together), and dusky, in variable relative extent. Nest in trees (often a 

 deserted hawk's or crow's nest). Eggs 2-3. 



