30 Brewster 07t Kennicotf s 0~vl and so?ne of its Allies. 



the brown condition. Its general coloring is essentially similar 

 to that of Mr. Henshaw's bird, but the ground shade above is 

 darker and the scapular spots are confined to the edges of two or 

 three of the outer feathers, while the ochraceous wash beneath 

 occurs only on the sides, lining of the^vings, and tibiiB, the ground 

 color of the under parts being othei'wise clear ashy-white. 



An unusually large female from Hellgate, Montana (No. 

 18,299, Nat. Mus.), which Mr. Ridgway very naturally treated 

 as asio in the "Birds of North America" (Vol. Ill, ■^. 50), agrees 

 closely with Capt. Bendire's specimens and with them must now 

 be referred to kentiicotti. 



In the light of the present evidence it becomes necessary to re- 

 arrange the typical characters of this Owl. I accordingly offer 

 the following diagnosis : — 



Scops asio kennicotti. Wing, 6.40 to 7.60. Dichromatic, assuming 

 either a gray or a tawnj-brown condition. Gray phase similar to that of 

 asio, but with the plumage beneath thickly barred and streaked along the 

 median line. Brown phase characterized by a general dusky-umber or 

 tawny-ochraceous coloring unlike that of any other North American 

 form.* 



The following table includes the most essential measurements of all the 

 specimens of heunicotti vih.\c\\ I have examined, together with some taken 

 at second hand, of Elliot's type of the race. 



Gray and Intermediate. 



6457, W. B. $ ad. Ft. Walla Walla, W.T. Nov. 20, iSSi 



6455, W. B. $ ad. '' " Apr. 25, 1S81. 7.07 

 82,330, Nat. Mus. $ ad. •' " Dec. 22, iSSo. 

 6459, W. B. J' juv. John Day River. Ore. Aug. 6, 1881. 

 30,624, C. Mus. $ ad. Ft. Walla Walla. W.T. Feb. 12, iSSi. 



H. W. H. ? ad. " " Nov. 7, 1S80. 



6456, W. B. ? ad. " " Oct. 22, 1S81. 



18,299, Nat. Mus. $ ad. Hellgate, Mon. - — 



6466, W. B. ad. Portland, Oregon. 



Brown. 



4.530, Nat. Mus. Washington Ter. 6.80 4.07 



59,068, Nat. Mus. — Idaho. 6.67 3.65 



59,847, Nat. Mus. $ ad. Sitka, Alaska. March, 1S66. 7.40 4.00 



* The small quadrate spots on the primaries and the indistinct tail-bande, characters 

 which have been held as diagnostic, are both shown by my series to be inconstant and 

 of no varietal significance. 



