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



Descr. — A handsome and very distinct species. The bill yellow, the lower jaw black. 

 The face black, with large whitish spots on the roots of some bristle-feathers and feathers 

 of the anterior ear-coverts. The front and hind ear-margins covered with black feathers 

 spotted with white and rufous. Under the dirty-white chin are long rusty- yellow narrow 

 feathers with a black stripe along the shaft, and on the sides next them pure white feathers 

 with black ends. Feather-horns black, with a rusty-yellowish spot at the base of the 

 inner web. Head and neck rusty-yellow, black predominating at the top of each feather. 

 Shoulder-coverts and wings blackish-brown, some feathers only with whitish and rusty- 

 red marbled drawing on the exterior web. The inner side of the wings has the shafts 

 of the feathers white, with a large triangular white spot next to the shaft, a second, 

 more round, in the middle, and a third, more indistinct, near the emargination. The 

 inner coverts of the wings are rusty-yellow spotted with black. Under parts rusty-yellow 

 with broad black shaft-stripes, and white spots on the webs pointed with black at the 

 end. The tail black, at the base white, with seven narrow white bands and broad white 

 end-margins. The upper part only with four rusty-yellow, blackish-pointed bands no 

 reaching to the end of the feather-margins. Tarsi rusty-yellow, blackish-spotted, near 

 the toes black. The toes are in a great measure naked ; but I think this is an accident, 

 and not found in all the specimens. The figure of d'Orbigny gives the yellow toes 

 completely naked. 



Dimens. — Head 70-71, bill from the gape 32, wing 325, tail 178, tarsus 46, middle 

 toe without nail 35 mm. long. 



Hab. Cuba. 



6. Otus zonurus, G. R. Gray. 



Diagn. — The under part of the wing and tail with twelve cross-bands. 



Descr. — The plumage is also darker : black predominates on the upper and lower 

 parts. 



Hab. ? 



Dimens.— Otus vulgaris : head 58, bill from the gape 30, wing 275-279, tail 150, 

 tarsus 39-40, middle toe 29. 0. americanus : head 59, bill from the gape 30, wing 290, 

 tail 148, tarsus 39, middle toe 29. 0. zonurus : head 58, bill from the gape 30, wing 

 276, tail 148, tarsus 44, middle toe 30. 0. stygius : head 70-71, bill from the gape 32, 

 wing 325, tail 178, tarsus 46, middle toe 35 mm. long. The dimensions of the first 

 three species are very nearly the same. 



Subgenus c. Rhinoptynx. 

 Diagn. — Bill long and projected. Wing short and obtuse. The first wing-feather 

 longer than the sixth to ninth. The first and second wing-feathers clearly emarginated. 

 Toes feathered. 



