92 RAPTORES. SCOPS. 



GENUS SCOPS, S AVION Y. SCOPS OWL. 



GENERIC CHARACTERS. 



Bill curved from the base ; the upper ridge of the culmen 

 flattened ; the cere short ; nostrils placed in front of the cere, 

 round. Facial disk small, and incomplete above the eye 

 orbit. Auditory conch small, and without an operculum. 

 Forehead with egrets or tufts. Wings long ; the third fea- 

 ther the longest in the wing. Tail even, or slightly rounded, 

 concave beneath. Legs rather long ; the tarsi feathered to 

 the toes, which have their upper joints reticulated, and the 

 anterior ones scutellated. Claws sharp, moderately curved, 

 and partially grooved beneath. General plumage soft and 

 downy. 



This genus, instituted by SAVIGNY, appears to bear the 

 same analogy to the large Eared-Owls, that the small Night- 

 Owls (genus Noctua) do to the larger smooth-headed groups. 

 Their habits, from the accounts of SPALLANZANI and others, 

 are nocturnal, and they seldom issue from their day-retreats 

 before the sun has fairly set below the horizon. Their prey 

 consists of insects, mice, and other small animals of that kind. 



SCOPS-EARED OWL. 



SCOPS ALDROFANDI, Will, and Hay. 

 PLATE XXII. 



Scops Aldrov. Will. Orn. 65 Flem. Br. Anim. 1. 57. No. 31. 



Strix Scops, Linn. Syst. 1. p. 129. 5 GmeL Syst. 1. p. 290. sp. 5. Lath. 



Ind. Ornith. v. 1. 56. 18 Rail Syn. p. 25. 3 Briss. 1. p. 495 Will. 



(Ang.) p. 65. t. 12. 



Strix Zorca et Giu, Lath. Ind. Ornith. v. 1. p. 56. 15. et 16. 

 Le Petit Due. Buff. Ois. v. 1. p. 353. t. 24 Id. PI. Enl. 436. 

 Hibou Scops, Temm. Man. d'Ornith. v. 1. p. 107. 

 Kleine Ohreule, Bechst. Naturg. Deut. v. 2. p. 912 Meyer, Tasschenb. 



Deut. v. 1. p. ?4. 

 Scops-eared Owl, Lath. Syn. 1. p. 129. 1. 15 Id. Supp. p. 43 Mont. Supp. 



to Ornith. Diet Bewick's Supp. to Br. Birds. 



