458 On a new Genus and Species of Owl. 
‘Philosophical Transactions’ by Messrs. Ginther and H. 
Newton. It is an interesting speculation what may have 
been the affinities between the Owl of Rodriguez and that 
of Seychelles; and we may hope that the acquisition of a 
skeleton of the latter will enable us to solve the problem. 
Meanwhile it is worthy of note that Messrs. Giinther and 
E. Newton repeatedly remark on various points of affinity 
between Carine murivora and the genus Scops. ‘They state 
that it shows a combination of osteological characters not 
found in any of numerous skeletons of Striges with which 
they have compared it. The form of the pelvis differs from 
that of all other Owls, and in one point resembles Scops 
rutilus, to which our bird bears a strong superficial resem- 
blance. Again, there are modifications im the foramina for 
the sacral nerves, which closely resemble those of Scops rutilus. 
Then, again, the length and strength of its legs is greater in 
proportion to its size than in any other species of Owls. The 
strength and massiveness of the tarsus and foot in our new 
species is one of its most striking characteristics. It is 
surely, then, not improbable that further knowledge of its 
anatomical structure may enable us to group the species of 
the two islands together, and that Carine murivora may 
prove to be another species of our proposed genus. I venture 
to propose for this bird the name of Gymnoscops insularis, 
nov. gen. et spec. 
GyYMNoscops, nov. genus. 
Ear-tufts rudimentary; tarsi and feet unfeathered. 
GYMNOSCOPS INSULARIS, nov. spec. Ex insulis Seychellarum. 
Above dark chestnut ; the feathers on the head irregularly 
mottled with black and pale fawn-colour; the neck dappled 
with black and isabel-colour, but without any streaks; the 
feathers on the back barred with the same, and with black 
lines down the shafts, many of the upper wing-coverts 
having their outer web light isabel-colour; the secondaries 
with the shafts black and ribbed with sandy rufous towards 
the outer edge of both webs; the primaries brown-black on 
the inner web, and barred with various shades of chestnut 
