bubonid.e — the owls. 415 



Genus MEGASCOPS Kaup. 



Scops Savton. Desc.de VEgypto, 1809, 291. Type, Strix scops Linn. (JVpc Bkunn. 1772.) 



Megascops Kaup. Isis, 1848, 765. Type, Strix asio LmN. 

 Gen. Char. Small owls with distinct ear-tufts, the tarsus more or less feathered 

 (usually completely feathered) the wings ample (more than twice the length of the short, 

 slightly rounded tail), the plumage exceedingly variegated with vormiculations, cross- 

 bars, and mottlings; toes naked or bristled— never completely feathered, except toward 

 the base. 



The above brief diagnosis is sufficient to characterize this group. 

 In general aspect the species of this genus are miniatures of those 

 •which belong to the genus Bubo, and are perhaps as nearly related 

 stiTicturaUy to the latter as to any other members of the family. 



All the American species have the outer webs of the scapulars 

 mostly hght-colored (generally white, with a blackish tenninal 

 border — rusty ochraceous in Jiammeolus and the darker forms of 

 brasilianus), producing a more or less distinct stripe along each 

 side of the dorsal region ; the feathers of the upper and lower parts 

 usually have blackish shaft-streaks, those beneath generally with 

 narrow transverse bars; outer webs of the remiges with light- 

 colored spots, and the tail more or less (never sharply) banded. 

 Nearly aU the species are, in some part of their range, dichromatic, 

 having a bright rufous phase, quite difiereut from the "normal" 

 grayish plumage. 



Megascops asio (Linn.) 



SCSEECE OWL. 



Popular synonyms. Little Mottled Owl; Little Ked OwL 



Strix asio Linn. S. N. ed. 12, i, 1766, 132.-WiLS. Am. Orn. v. 1812.83, pi. 42, fig. 1.— AuD. 

 Orn.Biog.i,1832,486; v. 1839, 392, pi. 97.— Nutt. Man. 1,1832,120. 

 Sco;).'! asioBp. 1838.— Cass, in Baird's B. N. Am. 1858, 51.— Baibd, Cat. N. Am. B. 1859. 

 No. 49.— CouES. Key. 1S72, 202; Check List. 1873, No. 318; 2d ed. 1882.No. 465; B. N. W. 

 1874, 303.— B. B. & R. Hist. N. Am. B. ill. 1874. 49.— Ridgw. Nom.N. Am.B.1881,No. 402. 

 Bubo asio Vtkit.t,. 1807.- Ann. Synop. 1839,29; B. Am. i. 1840. 147. pi. 40. 

 Strix nwvia Guel. S. N. i. pt. i, 1788, 289.— WiLS. Am. Orn. iii, 1812, 16, pi. 19, flg. 1. 

 Hab. Eastern United States and British Provinces, west to edge of the Great Plains. 

 (In Florida replaced by M. asio floridanus and in southern Texas by M. asio maccalli.) 



a. Normal plumage. 



8p. Chab. Adult. Ground-color above brownish cinereous, palest on the head, purest 

 ashy on the wings, minutely mottled with fine zigzag transverse bars of black, each 

 feather with a median ragged stripe of the same along the shaft. Inner webs of ear- 

 tufts, outer webs of scapulars, and spots occupying most of the outer webs of the two or 

 three lower feathers of the middle and secondary wing-coverts, white, forming (except 

 on the first) conspicuous spots, those of the scapulars bordered with black. Secondaries 

 crossed with about seven regular paler bands, each enclosing a more irregular dusky 



