Brewster o7i Kefinicotf s Oxvl and some of its Allies, 2>^ 



During the course of the preceding investigation I had occasion 

 to compare a large number of Eastern specimens of Scops asio 

 ■w'ith some California examples from Nicasio and Alameda 

 County. Somewhat to my surprise, I detected several apparently 

 constant ditlerences which, taken in connection with the pretty 

 definitely settled fact that the California bird is not, like asio^ 

 subject to dichromatism, seem to me to warrant the varietal sepa- 

 ration of the two, I accordingly propose a new race as follows : — 



Scops asio bendirei,* var. nov. 

 California Screech Owl. 



Ch. Sp. Similis ^e asioni, sed auribus brevioribus ; colore subtus 

 magis cinerario, transversis lineis tenuioribus, pallidioribus, ac in medio 

 baud interruptis. Nulla rubra conditione cognita. 



Adult 5 (No. 1,546, author's collection, Nicasio, California, April 24, 

 1S77, C. A. Allen). Above essentially similar to asio in its gray dress. 

 Beneath ashy-white, every where thickly barred and streaked with black; 

 the transverse bars being fine, numerous and regular, the shaft-stripes 

 coarse and generally distributed from the throat to the crissum, both 

 markings occurring as thickly on the median line of the breast and abdo- 

 men as along their sides. Wing, 6.20; tail, 3.30; tarsus, 1.50; culmen, 

 .60; ear-tufts, 1.15. 



Another adult from the same locality ( 5 , May iS, 1S7S, Coll. H. A. 

 Purdie), measures, wing, 6.22; tail, 3.1S; ear-tufts, 1.05: while seven 

 unsexed specimens from Alameda county furnish the following extremes : 

 wing, 6.01-6.52 ; tail, 3.22-3.72; ear-tufts, i. 05-1. 25. 



The above detailed characters, so far as my series goes, are 

 suflScient to distinguish the California specimens from any gray 

 examples of asio taken in the Eastern States. The chief differ- 

 ence is in the ground-color and markings of the plumage beneath. 

 In asio the central line of the breast and abdomen is nearly 

 always immaculate, while there is frequently a broad, entirely 

 unspotted gular space : in beiidirei these parts are as thickly 

 barred and streaked as are the sides, while the ashy tinge of the 

 entire lower surface and the much finer character of the trans- 

 verse pencilling gives the plumage a clouded appearance which, 

 although difficult of description, is very characteristic. The ear- 

 tufts, also, are usually shorter than those of S. asio. 



* As my material is not at present sufficiently comprehensive to enable me to define 

 the limits of distribution of this race I leave the compilation of its synonymy to those 

 who may have better opportunities in this respect. 



