.STUKilD-K — THE OWLS. 



47 



covered the bird at tlie entrance of a small hole in a liirch-tree, wliere it 

 was callini^ to its mate. As lie stood at the loot of the tree, in full sight of 

 the bird, he observed the singular iiower it jiossessed of altei'ing its voice, 

 making it seem near or remote, — a faculty which he had never noticed in 

 any other bird. 



An egg given me by Mr. Ihiius U. Winslow as one of tliis bird, and figured 

 in the North American Dology, was undoubtedly that of a Woodpecker. 

 It is of a crystalline whiteness, nearly spherical, and measures 1.13 inches 

 in lengtli liy .87 of an inch in lu'eadth. 



A -well-identifieil egg in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution, 

 taken by Mr. IJ. Christ at Nazareth, I'enn., (Xo. 14,oo8, S. I.,) measures .95 

 of an inch ijy .88. The two ends are exactly similar or symmetrical. The 

 egg is white, and is marked as having been collected April 25, 1807. 



Genus SCOPS, Savig.ny. 



Hivps, Savicny, 1800. (Tyjic, S/ri.e .icuii.i, I,. = Saips zorca (Gm.) Swains.) 

 i-'ji/iid/i/h, Ki;v.s. .^ lii,. 184U, icr SciMtANK, ISO'2. 

 Mc'j<(sciijiii, Kaci', 1843. (Tyiic, S'/rh^ nsin, I,.) 



Gi:.\. CiiAU. Size .^mall, tlio head piovidcd with car-tul'ts. Bill light-colored ; iris 

 yellow. Tiiii'o to foiir outer quills with inner webs sinuated. Wings long (more than 

 twice tile leugtli of tlio 

 tail, which is siiort and 

 sliylilly roinidi'd) : sei^oud 

 to lirili (piills Icingost. 

 Tiifs naked, or only 

 seantily ti'allicrcd. Eai- 

 coiii'h sniall and simple. 

 Plumajjc exeeedinuly va- 

 rief,'ated, the colors dif- 

 ferent siiades of hrown, 

 with rufous, blaci<, and 

 white, in fine moltlings 

 and pcMcilliuj.'s; feathers 

 aliovc and heiow usually 

 Willi lilackish shaft -stre.aks, 

 those beneath usually with 

 five transverse bars ; 



primaries spotted with ,srnps „,i, 



whitish, and outer welis 



of the lower row of seajiuiars the same edgeil tenninally wit', 

 banded. 



lack. Tail oliscurely 



TIic species of this genus tire cosmopolitan, the greater nnndier, however, 

 being found in tropical regions. All the American species dill'er from 

 ,S'. :om( of Europe in having the fourth and fifth tpiills longest, instead of 

 the second, and in luiving three to four, instead of only two, of the outer 



