SCOPS. 95 



and the lower ranges of the Himalayas to Darjeeling, and everywhere where 

 psiifititus occurs, I cannot from the series I possess of these Scops suffi- 

 ciently separate them. 



In my opinion it bears the same relation to pennatus as plumipes of the 

 Himalayas does to S. let tin. 



92. Scops plumipes. Hume, Rough Notes, ii. p. 397 ; Sharpe, Cat. 

 Striges, B. M. p. 85, The PLUME-FOOT SCOPS OWL. 



This species, if it is to be distinguished at all, or specifically separated from 

 the next (E. lettia} may be distinguished by the toes being feathered to the 

 base of the toes, the general tone of colouring as shown by Mr. Hume darker, 

 and as a rule less rufous or buffy, and the dark blotches on the head, back, 

 ruff, breast and abdomen more conspicuous. 



Length. 9^5 to lo-inches ; \ving 6'7 to 7.3; tail 3; tarsus r6 to 1*7 ; horn 

 from gape 0*92. (Rough Notes.) 



Hab. Punjab, N.-W. Provinces, and the Himalayas (Murree, Kotegurh 

 and Gurhwal). 



According to Mr. Hume, S. plumipes has been found breeding at Kotegurh. 

 A female and 4 eggs were taken from a hole in a tree on the i3th May. 

 The eggs are intermediate in size between those of Athene brama and A. 

 cutuloidcs but more spherical. They are pure white and slightly glossy, and 

 vary in size from 1-25 inches to 1-28 in length, and from ri to 1*5 inches in 

 breadth, and not quite as large as some of those he possesses of E. griseus, 

 Jerd. 



93. Scops lettia, Hodgs. As. Research, xix. p. 176; Sharpe Cat. Striges. 

 p. 85 ,- Hume, Nest and Eggs, Ind. B. i. p. 67. Ephialtes lempiji, Gray. Cat. 

 Ala mm. fyc. t Nepaul Coll. Hodgs. p. 5 I ; Jerd. B. Ind. i. p. 138 ; id. Ibis. 1871, 

 p. 256. Ephialtes lettia, Hume, Rough Notes, ii. p. 393 ; Oa/es, B. Br. 

 Burmah, ii. p. 155. The NEPAUL Scops OWL. 



Forehead, a broad streak over the eye running down the interior web of the 

 aigrettes, feathers under the eye, most of the ear coverts, loral bristles and 

 chin white, with a greyish or yellowish tinge, most of the feathers tipped or 

 imperfectly barred with dark brown. Top of the head, back of the neck, exterior 

 webs of the aigrettes, back, scapulars and tertiaries, also the lesser wing coverts, 

 rump and upper tail coverts with a rufous fawn, or in some buffy yellow 

 ground color, everywhere except on the outer webs of the scapulars, and in 

 a broad half collar at base of neck, very closely and finely freckled or irregularly 

 barred with minute zigzag lines of dark brown. Many of the feathers, especially 

 of the head and aigrettes, with large (teep brown blotches towards the tips, 

 confined in the aigrettes to the outer webs. Outer webs of quills rufous fawn 

 or buffy yellow, palest on the first few primaries, and with 56 broad irregular 



