24 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



9 (1,059, Dr. Elliot Coues's collection, Washington, D. C). Wing-formula, 2-3-1-4. 

 Wing, 13.00; tail, 6.10; culmen, .65; tarsus, 1.80; middle toe, 1.20. 



Hab. Entire continent and adjacent islands of America ; also Europe, Asia, Africa, 

 Polynesia, and Sandwich Islands. 



Localities : Oaxaca (Scl. P. Z. S. 1859, 390) ; Cuba (Cab. Journ. Ill, 465 ; Gundl. 

 Rept. 1865, 225, west end) ; Arizona (Coues, P. A. N. S. 1866, 50) ; Brazil (Pelz. Orn. 

 Bras. I, 10) ; Buenos Ayres (Scl. & Salv. P. Z. S. 1808, 143) ; Chile (Philippi, Mus. S. L). 



In view of the untangible nature of the differences between the American 

 and European Short-eared Owls (seldom at all appreciable, and when appreci- 

 able not constant), we cannot admit a difference even of race between 

 them. In fact, this species seems to be the only one of the Owls common 

 to the two continents in which an American specimen cannot be dis- 

 tinguished from the European. The average plumage of the American 

 representative is a shade or two darker than that of European examples ; 

 but the lightest specimens I have seen are several from the Yukon region 

 in Alaska, and one from California (No. 6,888, Suisun Valley). 



Not only am I unable to appreciate any tangible differences between 

 European and North American examples, but I fail to detect characters of 



the least importance whereby these 

 may be distinguished from South 

 American and Sandwich Island 

 specimens {" galopagocnsis, Gould," 

 and " sandwiclicnsis, Blox."). Only 

 two specimens, among a great 

 many from South America (Para- 

 guay, Buenos Ayres, Brazil, etc.), 

 are at all distinguishable from 

 Northern American. These two 

 (Nos. 13,887 and 13,888, Chile) 

 are somewhat darker than others, 

 but not so dark as No. 16,029, 9 , 

 from Fort Crook, California. A 

 specimen from the Sandwich Isl- 

 ands (No. 13,890) is nearly identi- 

 cal with these Chilean birds, the 

 only observable difference consist- 

 ing in a more blackish forehead, 

 and in having just noticeable dark shaft-lines on the lower tail-coverts. 



In the geograpliical variations of this species it is seen that the average 

 plumage of North American specimens is just appreciably darker than 

 that of European, while tropical specimens have a tendency to be 

 still darker. I know of no bird so widely distributed which varies so 

 little in the different parts of its habitat, unless it be the Cotyle riparia, 

 which, however, is not found so far to the south. The difference, in this 



Ni^-^ 



Otus brachyotus. 



