DR. J. J. KAUP'S MONOGRAPH OF THE STRIGID^. 211 



Subgenus c. Pholeoptynx. 



Diagn. — Middle toe (without the nail) half as long as the long thin tarsus. Wings 

 long. The first wing-feather shorter than the fourth ; the first and second clearly, 

 third and fourth indistinctly emarginated. 



They live in the southern parts of America and its islands, and make their nests in 

 the holes of Armadillos and of the prairie dogs {Arctomys ludovicianus) . 



5. Athene cunicularia, Bonap.' 



Geogr. Comp. List of Birds of Eur. and N. Am. p. 6. 



Stria: cunicularia, Mol. Chili, p. 233 ; ? Aud. Birds of Am. pi. 412 ; Azara, N. 47 (Uru- 



curu). 

 Noctua coquimbana, Briss. Orn. i. p. 72. 

 Sirix grallaria, Temm. Col. 146. 

 Noctua urucuru, Cuv. 



Diagn. — Rufous-grey. Tarsus If inches long, feathered to the toes. 



Descr. — In the colouring very similar to our Athene noctua, but with smaller and 

 more numerous spots, which on the back are black- margined. Breast-sides grey-brown, 

 with rufous-yellow-whitish dark-margined spots, which do not extend to the shaft. 

 Tail with white root and margins, and four pairs of spots, which do not always reach 

 to the shaft. The young bird is darker ; the bands especially are darker and more 

 distinct. 



Dimens. — Head 54, wing 182, tail 88 mm. long. 



Hab. S. America; San Paolo; nests in holes of Armadillos, &c. 



Subgenus e. Tesnioglaux. 



Diagn. — The first wing-feather shorter than the tenth. The plumage with many 

 cross bands. Size of Athene noctua. 

 Found in Asia and Africa. 



6. Athene castanoptera, Blyth. 



Blyth, Joum. A. S. B. p. 164 (1843). 



Strix castaneoptera, Horsfield, Linn. Trans, xiii. 140. 



spadicea, Reinw. Col. 98. 



Diagn. — The head rufous, black-banded. Shoulder-coverts unicolor, brown, with 

 large, white, brown-margined spots on the margins. Tail with six rufous-yellow bands. 



Descr. — Each head-feather with four black bands. Back unicolor-rufous. The tail- 

 coverts with three rufous bands on each feather. Shoulder-coverts rufous or brown, 

 with large, white, brown-margined spots on the external web. Arm- and hand-wings 

 dark brown, irregularly banded. The inner webs rufous, with six to seven irregular, 

 ' Athene dominicensis, Bp. Consp. p. 38, from the Antilles, and Athene hypogea, ibid., from N. W. America, 

 are now often considered as distinct species from this (P. L. S.). 



