SCOP a ASIO. 



Jlomliors of thi?; genus are not large but the plumage i- Ian;; and downy. The eye'^ arc quite large andyello^v in eolor. 

 Tie «tiTno-trachealis i« stout, and there is a slender bronchia li-;, but no other laryngeal rau-^cles. As in other Owls, th* 

 lyuipanifbrm membrane is present and altliough there is a thin os transversale it does not support a semilunar membrane. 

 The ooso]>liagus Is nearly straight, being a little wider in the middle, and opens into a quite large proventriuulus with thin 

 walls and simple, oval glands arranged in a wide zonular band which measures -70, in asio, from wliieli this and the fol- 

 lowing dimensions are taken; it is, however, encroached up(m on the lower side by a scallop, '15 in depth. Tbestomacb is 

 of medium size, flat in form, with somewhat irregular outlines, and with thick, but soft, walls. The fold of the duodenum 

 is not long, inclosing a narrow, irregularly formed, pancreas which extends its entire length. The cooca are quite long, 2"25 

 in length, small near the intestine, me:r.suring '07 in diameter, with the blind ends dilated into balloon-shaped sacs, •15 in 

 diameter. The spleen is an elliptical body lying directly on the proventriculus. Both lobes of the liver are nearly equal m 

 size. There is but one species within our limits. 



SCOPS ASIO. 

 Mottled Owl. 



Scops asio Bon., Geog. and Comp. List; 18.Sfl, fi. 



Scops McCallH Cassin, Birds of Cal. and Texas, I; 1854, 180. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sp. Cn. Form, short and compact. Size, medium. Sternum, not stout. The marginal indentations are quite deep. 

 Tongue, rather thick and llcshy, horny at the tip which is rounded and slightly bifid. Ear tufts, hmg. Bill and claws, not 

 very long. 



Red stage. 



Color. Ailult. Above, including upper wing and tail coverts, uniform yellowish-red, with a narrow central line of 

 dark-brown on every feather. One half of the outer feathers of the scajjularies and wing coverts are white, forming lines. 

 Wings, yellowish-red, with the central portion of the feathers dusky, but becoming lighter on the outer edge, and barred 

 with dusky which is tinged with reddish on the outer webs. Tail, yellowish-red, barred with dusky. Face, yellowish and 

 white, mixed, with the former color predominating around the eye and the latter on the sides of the bill and in a line to tho 

 car tufts, which are red. Line on sides of face, dark-lirown. Beneath, white, witheach feather, excepting on the chin, 

 throat and abdomen, barred with yellowish-red and centrally lined with dark-brown, but mucli more widely on tlie brca,st. 

 Under wing coverts, sulphury-yellow. Under tail coverts, white, with a central stripe of reddLsh-brown. Til)ia and tar- 

 dus, yellowish, often mottled with a darker shade of the same color. 



Young. Similar to the adult l)ut the red is not as clear and the dark markings are mucl'. more prominent, especially 

 below. 



Nestlings. Are at first covered with a grayish down, showing traces of red. This gradually becomes reddish-brown 

 above, when it Ls barred with dusky; and it is also baiTed below with dusky which shows traces of red. There are none of 

 the characteristic markings of the adult about the face, where the feathers are barred and mixed with reddish-white and 

 dusky. The first growth of wing and tail feathers are retained for a year. 



Gray stage. 



Color. Adult. Above, mottled, spotted, and mixed with pale-yellowish, white, and dark-brown but the feathers are 

 centrally striped with the latter color. Wings and tail, of mixed colors like tlie l)ack. White markings above as in the red 

 stage. Face, white, mixed with dusky. Ear tufts marked like the back and edged with lighter. Beneath, whife, mot- 

 tled, .spotted, and barred, excepting on abdomen, with dark-brown and yellowish-rufims, every feather having a central 

 stripe of the latter color. Tail, tibia, and tarsus, white, mottled with yellowish. Other markings below and on the bead 

 a-s in the red stage. 



Young. Similar to the adult liut are not as decidedly gray being somewhat reddish, especially above and the markings 

 arc broader. 



Nestlings. At first are covered with a whitish down which shows no traces of red but which becomes barred with 

 dusky. The first quills of wings and tail are decidedly gray. Iris, yellow, cere, greenish, bill and claws, green'sh-yellow, 

 in all stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



I have described the extremes of the two plumages assumed by these Owls, which are tho ones most frequently found but 

 1 have seen every gradation between the two. These variations ai)pear to be governed by no particular condition of cli:!iaio. 



