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is too weak to permit of my solving a// difficulties as [ should 
wish. The plumage in all, varies so much in different indivi- 
duals of the same species, and is of a nature so difficult to 
convey a really correct idea of, by mere verbal description, that 
the confusion that appears hitherto to have existed, in regard 
to this beautiful little group, can be no matter for surprise. 
As far as the specimens before me enable me to judge, we have 
six distinct species in India. Two with slender tarsi of the 
Pennatus type, and four with stouter tarsi, larger birds of the 
Lempigi type. 
I shall now briefly enumerate these six species, noticing one 
or two of the chief points of difference. 
(A) with slender tarsi.— 
1 Eputatres Pennatus Hodge. Feet feathered to base of 
toes. Wing 5°5 to 5°75, reaches to end of tail; third 
and fourth primaries longest. 
2 5, GymNopopus. Gray.? Feet and extreme point of 
tarsus, bare. Wing 5°25 to 5:5, extends over three- 
Jourths of tail; fourth and fifth primaries longest. 
(B) with stout tarsi.— 
3 Eputarres Lerrra. Hodg. Toes quite bare, or only 
just over-hung at their bases by the feet feathers. 
Wing 6°6 to 7:2. 
a », Puiumives. Nobis. oes feathered, in some, half 
way down the terminal point, in all, to end of sub- 
terminal point. Wing, 6°7 to 73. 
5 » Griseus. Jerdon. General tone of plumage 
greyer and more silvery. Wing, 5°6 to 6°63. 
6 » Mataparicus. Jerdon. General plumage dark- 
er and more rufous. Wing 5°5 to 6:0. 
Other differences are noticeable in tone of color, proportional 
length of primaries, &c., which I shall notice, in dealing with 
each species, the above will, I believe, suffice to enable any one 
to determine to which species any specimen he possesses may 
belong: that is, provided that there are no other Indian species 
of Scops Owl, but as my collection at present only contains 
twenty-three representatives of this group, I cannot feel at all 
certain as to this point. 
Of the present species (HZ. Pennatus) I have never yet taken 
the eggs, but Mr. R. Thompson to whom I owe an undoubted 
ground. Tarsal and tibial plumes plain rufous fawn colour, with a few tiny 
brown spots towards the ends of the tarsi. The wing lining is chesnut and 
buffy white, indistinctly barred with dusky brown. 
