68o PATAGONIAN EXPEDITIONS : ZOOLOGY. 



Dr. Sharpe, in reviewing the fine series of this owl in the British 

 Museum, in which he includes the bird as found in the Galapagos, now 

 thought to be specifically distinct, gives the following summary. He con- 

 cludes that there are possibly four groups into which the short-eared owl 

 falls, these being, geographically, those of the Old World, of North and 

 South America (including the Falkland Islands), those of the Sandwich 

 Islands and those of the Galapagos. 



"The excellent series of short-eared owls enumerated above [the list is 

 omitted here] enables me to speak with some certainty concerning the 

 various races which have been raised to specific distinction by various 

 ornithologists. In the foregoing list of the specimens in the national col- 

 lection I have arranged them under four headings, each form thus classified 

 having slight peculiarities, but none of them possessing sufficient charac- 

 ters to allow of their being specifically separated. All over Europe and 

 Asia there is but one type, according to my observations ; but in America 

 the general run of the specimens is rather darker and more ochraceous ; 

 hence the short-eared owl of the New World which I could not separate 

 in the least from European examples ; and in comparing specimens from 

 the Old and New World care must be taken that birds of the same sex 

 are examined, as the females of both are always more rufous than the 

 males ; thus if a female of the American short-eared owl were compared 

 with a male of the European kind, the impression would be that the 

 former was more rufous, and vice versa. I have seen, however, birds of 

 both sexes from British Columbia and from Chili which were absolutely 

 similar to British-killed specimens. 



"In the Falkland Islands the short-eared owls seem permanently rufes- 

 cent, but cannot be distinguished from some Chilian skins ; and as some 

 of the latter agree perfectly with European examples, no line for specific 

 separation can be drawn : I must say, however, that at present I have 

 never seen a light-coloured bird from the Falklands. 



"The owl from the Galapagos is by far the most different of any, by 

 reason of its small size, dark coloration, golden forehead, and striped 

 thigh-feathers. I have never seen a specimen from any other locality 

 exhibiting the latter character; at the same time a Bogota skin in every 

 other respect approaches it in appearance ; and therefore, although I admit 

 that at present it would appear to be specifically distinct, I should like to 

 be sure that the New-Granadian short-eared owl would not form a con- 

 necting link. 



