STRIGID.E — THE OWLS. 



59 



of the crown and on the wing-coverts and scapulars; the whole upper surface trans- 

 versely mottled with white and blackish, the latter in the form of fine zigzag lines and a 

 splash along the shaft, this expanding transversely near the end of the feather ; the 

 white is in the form of larger transverse spots, these largest across the nape. Outer webs 

 of the scapulars fine light orange-rufous (becoming white beneath the surface), bordered 

 terminally with black. Coverts along the lower edge of the wing spotted with pale ru- 

 fous ; outer webs of the several lower feathers of the middle and secondary wing-coverts 

 with a large conspicuous spot of white. Secondaries crossed by four well-defined narrow 

 pale ochraceous bands ; primary coverts transversely spotted with the same ; primaries 

 with about five transverse series of very large white spots on the outer webs, the spots 

 approaching ochraceous next the shaft and towards the end of the feather. Tail profusely 

 mottled like the back, and crossed with about five ragged, badly defined pale bands, the 

 last of which is not terminal. Ear-tufts inconspicuous. 



Eyebrow white, feathers bordered with blackish ; eye encircled with rusty rufous ; 

 lores strongly tinged with the same; cheeks, ear-coverts, neck, and jugulum with numer- 

 ous transverse dusky bars upon a grayish-white ground. Facial circle rusty-rufous 

 spotted with black ; throat with a tinge of 

 rufous ; chin white. 



Low^er parts, in general, white ; each feather 

 with a black shaft-stripe, this throwing off" 

 bars in pairs, across the feather; the medial 

 stripes are very broad, forming longitudinal 

 spots on the breast, and have here an exter- 

 nal rufous suff'usion ; lower tail-coverts very 

 sparsely marked. Til^iaj and tarsi white, with 

 very sparse transverse dusky spots. Lining 

 of the wing plain yellowish-white ; bars on 

 under surface of primaries very obsolete, ex- 

 cept basally. Wing-formula. 3 = 4; 5, 2 - 

 6 ; 1 = 8. Wing, 5.40 ; tail, 2.45 ; culmien, 

 .35 ; tarsus, .87 ; middle toe, .55. 



Young (first full, but imperfect plumage: 



(J, 24,172, Fort Crook, North California, 



August 23, 1860 ; John Feilner). Wings and 



tail as in the adult (last pale band of latter 



apparently terminal). Whole head and body with numerous, about equal, transverse 

 bands of dusky and grayish-white; the two colors about equal, but on lower parts both 

 are much wider and more distinct than above the white gradually increasing posteriorly. 

 Breast and outer webs of scapulars with a rusty tinge, the latter scarcely variegated. 

 Eyebrow white, feathers bordered with dusky ; eye-circle and ear-coverts bright rusty- 

 rufous ; lores much tinged with the same. No facial circle. Wing, 5.50 ; tail, 2.70. 



Hab. Guatemala and central Mexico, northward (along Sierra Nevada) to Fort Crook ; 

 California (breeding). 



Habits. This is essentially a Mexican and Central American species, 

 occurring among the mountains of Mexico and thence to Guatemala. One 

 individual, however, the only one as yet recorded as taken in the United 

 States, was obtained at Fort Crook by Captain John Feilner, and is now 

 in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution. This was a young bird, 

 evidently raised in that locality, and apparently showing that the species 

 breeds in that vicinity. It has l)een taken also at Orizaba, in tlie State of 



Scnps JJammeola. 



