Vol. XXXIII 



1915 



Grinnell, A New Screech Owl. 59 



new environment (America) took on a greatly increased variability 

 of size. 



All we can say in conclusion is that the English Sparrow has 

 changed very little in outward appearance and gross measurements 

 during his sojourn in America. A careful study of a large series in 

 the flesh would probably give results of interest, and perhaps 

 demonstrate an increased variability in American specimens. I 

 should like to add that sparrow skins from the southwest, from 

 Cuba, Bermuda or other isolated points will be most gratefully 

 appreciated by the writer. 



A NEW SUBSPECIES OF SCREECH OWL 

 FROM CALIFORNIA. 



BY J. GRINNELL. 



(Contribution from the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology of the University 



of California.) , 



Material representing the genus Otus has been very slow in 

 accumulating from California. For some years local systematic 

 workers have been of the opinion that two races exist in the region 

 west of the desert divides, both being included in the literature 

 under the name bendirei. The present writer is at last fortunate 

 in having access to a sufficient series of skins to enable him to arrive 

 at conclusions; and he is convinced of the desirability of recogniz- 

 ing the two races under separate names, though the series is at the 

 same time inadequate for working out properly their respective 

 geographic ranges. The material for study has been brought 

 together from the Morcom, Swarth, Grinnell and Mailliard col- 

 lections, and from the California Museum of Vertebrate Zoology. 

 The latter institution has recently acquired some northern coast 

 Screech Owls of particular value in the present connection. 



The two forms here separated belong to the humid coast belt of 

 California, and to the more arid southern and interior parts of the 

 same state, respectively. Since Scops [= Otus] asio bendirei was 

 described (Brewster, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, vn, January, 1882, p. 



