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



Obs. — I have seen but one specimen, but it is necessary to examine a greater number. 

 I consider most of these species, so very nearly connected with Scops ephialtes, as 

 subspecies. 



6. Scops leucopsis, Kp. 



Athene leucopsis, Hartl. 



Diagn. — The wings on the inner side uniform blackish, without bands. First wing- 

 feather as long as the ninth. 



Descr. — A very distinct species, which cannot be confounded with any of the other 

 species of this natural subgenus. It nearly resembles Scops ephialtes, in form very much, 

 has the same long wings, but longer tail and thinner tarsi, which on the hind part are 

 not feathered, but scaled. In its colouring it is very different. Round the eyes black, 

 like Otus brachyotus. Lores white, partly rusty and black spotted, with black 

 shafts or black shaft-ends. Stripe over the eye pure white, part of it with black 

 margin on the inner side next the head, part with zigzag cross bands. The middle 

 part of the front dark brown and rufous spotted. The feathers near the stripe of the 

 eye with white spots on the outer webs. In the middle of the occiput some white 

 feathers, with broad black shaft-spots and rufous or black pointed margins. The face 

 is white, with black spots and black inner webs, which gives the face a variegated 

 colouring. Below the middle of the eye next to the lorum more mixed with rufous and 

 black. The feathers 'of the hinder ear-margins black, the next following with rusty 

 cross bands, and the next series with white ends. The feather-horns, which are not 

 very well distinguished, are dark brown, with rusty spots. The back rusty-yellow, 

 white-spotted. Each feather with blackish root, white band in the middle, and rufous 

 black-pointed margin. The under parts of the back to the tail-coverts dark brown, 

 rusty-spotted. Shoulder-coverts similarly coloured, and on the exterior margin white, 

 with black end-spots and points. The ten coverts of the ten hand-wings uniform black. 

 The ten hand-wings black, near the end pale rufous, pointed with blackish. The two 

 exterior feathers with rufous outer webs, and the following with two to three dirty-white 

 longitudinal spots. The thumb-feathers black, on the outer web with white spots and 

 end-spots. Some of the small coverts of the thumb-feathers similarly white-spotted. 

 The wrist dark brown, with rufous spots. On the arm-wings the rusty colour predo- 

 minates, and there are black shaft-stripes and dark zigzag drawing. The margin of the 

 interior web at the base is dirty yellowish-white. The colouring of the tail is similar. 

 The exterior feathers only with white spots on the exterior web. The lower parts 

 are white; some feathers, as in Scops ephialtes, with broad bronzed shaft-stripes and 

 pointed zigzag bands. The middle of the belly dirty rusty-brown. Over all these 

 feathers pronged cross bands. The under tail-coverts white, with light-brown spots 

 near the shafts, and with the margins dark-bounded. 



