48 NORTH AMEIUCAN BIRDS. 



quills with the inner wel) sinuated, as well as in having the quills shorter, 

 broader, and more b(nved, and tiiuir under surface more concave. They may, 

 jjerliaps, be distinguished as u separate subgenus {Majuscops, Kaup). Of the 

 American species all but S. asio (including its several races) have the toes 

 perfectly naked to their very bases. 



Species and Races. 



Common CnARACTEii.s. Plumage brown, {rray, or rufous, auil whitish, finely 

 niottk'd above; lower parts transveisely liari'etl, and with dark shaft-streaks. 

 Outer webs of lower seapulars light-colored (wiiite or oehraeeous) and with- 

 out markings. Tail crossed by rather obscure mottled light an<l dark bars of 

 nearly t al width. Outer webs of primaries with nearly e([ual bands of whitish 

 and dusky. 



1. S. asio. Toes covered (more or less densely) with bristles, or hair-like 

 leathers. Wing, 5.. 'jO- 7.80 ; tail, 3.20 - 4.10; culmeu, .tlO - .70 ; tarsus, 

 1.00-1.70; middle toe, .70 - .80. Ear-tn(ts well developed; facial circle 

 black. 



Colors smoky-brown and p.ilo fulvous, with little or none of pure 

 wliiie. Outer webs of the scapulars pale ochraceous-fulvous. Wnig, 

 G.90 - 7.30 ; tail, S.oO - 4.r)0. ILth. North Tacilic region, from 

 Western Idaho and \Va.sliington Territory, northward to Sitka. 



vai'. ke n nico tti. 

 Colors ashy-gray and pure white, with little or none of fulvous. 

 Outer wi'bs of the scapulars pure white. Varying to bright brick-red, 

 or lateritiou.s-rufous. 



Mottlings ('oar.«e, the l)lacki.sh median streaks above not .sharply 

 defined, and tiie liars beneath heavy and distinct. 



AVing, 0.10 - 7. 7o; tail, 3.30-4.3"). In the red plumage, 

 white prevailing on the lower parts, where the red nnukings 

 are not broken into transverse bais. Huh. United States; 

 except the Southern Middle Province, tiie northwest region, 



and Florida var. us to. 



Wing, 5.00 -G.OO tail, 2.7.') -3.10. In the red plumage, 

 red prevailing on the lower parts, where the markings are 

 much broken into transverse liars. Jltth. Florida and Southern 

 Georgia . ....... var. f lor i dan us. 



Wing. ')..")() - 5.80 ; tail, 3.20 - 3.30. (iray plumage, like 

 var. (tsio, but tlu? mottling above nnieh coarser, and the napo 

 Avilli a strongly indicated collar of riiun<led white spots in 

 pairs, on opposite webs. Red plumage not seen. Ilab. 



Eastei'n Mexico and Guatemala var. enano.^ 



Moltlings fine, the blackish median streaks aliove very r-harply 

 defined and conspicuous ; bars beneath delicate and indi.''tinct. 



' Scopsasio, var. rmiiin, I.awukmk, MSS. This wdl-iiiarked raw is founded upon two spcci- 

 incns, — 0111' IVoni Mi'xico, in the cabincl of Mr. LawriMK'o, and another from (inatcnuda, in the 

 collt'ction of the Bo.-toti .Socii'ty of Natural Hi.story. They arc I'x.actly similar in colors ; but, as 

 might be cxpecti'd, till' more .southern specimen is the .smaller of the two. This form very clcsely 

 resendiles t!ie ,S'. (irrlr'i/iil/ii, (XArr.) Sri-.rn. (Temm. PI. f'ol. 145), but may be readily dis- 

 tinguislii'd by the liain d toe.', they being perfectly naked in (driatpilla. The latter species is 

 found as far northward as Xlirador. 



