KECENTLY-DESCKIBED SPECIES. 145 



" The wings run about equal. This genus presents us with an 

 interesting example of modification of plumage in areas that 

 are in a great measure separated now physically. We appear 

 to have five forms : — 



1. Staphidea castaneiceps, Moore, (1854). Garo, Khasi and 

 Naga Hills. 



2. Staphidea striatns, Blyth, (1859). Tenasserim. 



3. Staphidea rnfigenis, Hume. Sikhim Hills. 



4. Staphidea plumbeiceps, Godwin-Austen. Sadiya, Eas- 

 tern Assam. 



5. Staphidea toroueola, Swinhoe. W. China/' — God.-Aust. } 

 J. A. S. B., XLVIL, pt II., 20, 1878. 



[To this list we must add the perfectly distinct S. or 1. 

 humilis, Hume, from the summit of Mooleyit, described, S. F., 

 V., 106.— Ed., S. F.l 



Scops minutus, W. V. Legge. 



"At Trincomalie, in July 1875, I obtained a young bird 

 belonging to a small species of Scops Owl unknown to me. 

 I kept it some little time, and it then died. In May of the 

 following year, while staying with Mr. Bligh, of Cotton 

 Estate, Haputale, I met with a skin of an adult bird, which 

 he had caught in the chimney of his bungalow at Kotmalie, 

 and which I recognized as belonging to the same species as 

 my young bird. Its small size and dark plumage prevented my 

 identifying it with any Scops Owl, described in Mr. Sharpe's 

 Catalogue, and through the kindness of Mr. Bligh I was 

 enabled to send it home to the British Museum. It has now 

 been presented to the national collection by that gentleman. 



" Messrs. Whyte & Co., of Kandy, have just sent home to 

 Mr. Sharpe, on loan, a second example, killed in one of the 

 coffee-districts near Kandy. On our comparing the series 

 thus obtained with the Scops Owl in the national collection, 

 this species turns out to be new, being distinguished from other 

 Indian members of the genus by its small size and dark colour. 

 Messrs. Whyte & Co. state they have received once before 

 an example of this Owl. I propose to describe this interesting 

 little addition to the Avifauna of Ceylon under the name of 

 Scops minutus, it appearing to be the smallest Scops Owl yet 

 discovered. 



li Description. — Male. — Length to front of cere (from skin), 

 6*0 ; culmen, 055 ; wing, 4'85 ; tail, 2*1 ; tarsus, 0-8 ; outer 

 anterior toe, 0'7 ; its claw straight, 04; height of bill at cere, 

 0-25. 



19 



