RAPTORES— STR1GIDAE— S. ASIO VAR. MACOALLI. 405 



bird has been seen by our parties, and I am inclined to regard it as a rare 

 bird in the eastern part of the Territory. It is most everywhere an inhabit- 

 ant of the marshes and swampy meadows, the dry, naked plains of the 

 interior country not being adapted to its wants. Along the large rivers, 

 however, it probably finds congenial abodes. 



SCOPS ASIO (Linn.), var. MACCALLI, Cass. 

 Western Mottled Owl. 



Scops maccalli, Cass., Birds Cal. & Texas, 1850, 180.— /</., Birds N. A., 185S, 52, pi. 



39. — Bd., U. S. & Mex. Bound. Surv., ii, pt. ii, 1859, Birds, 4. — Kennekly, 



P. B. E. Rep., Whipple's Route, x, 1859, 20.— Coues, Proc. Acad. Nat. 



Sci. Phila., 1866, 49 (Fort Mojave, Cooper; Colorado, Chiquito River, 



Kennerly). 

 Scojis asio var. maccallii, Coues, Key N. A. Birds, 1872, 203. — Bd., Beew., & Ridg., 



N. A. Birds, iii, 1874, 52.— Uenshaw, Rep. Orn. Specs., 1873, Wheeler's 



Exped., 1874, 135.— Coues, Birds Northwest, 1874, 303. 

 Ephialtcs asio, Woodh., Sitgreave's Exp. Znfii & Col. Riv., 1854, 62. 

 Scops asio (?), Heekm., P. R. R. Rep., x, pt. ii, 1859, 35. — Coop. & Suckl. (?), P. R. R. 



Rep., xii, pt. ii, 1860, 155. 



This bird was very common both in Arizona and New Mexico, and is, 

 I think, the most numerous of the family in this region. Whenever our 

 camp chanced to be made near one of the groves of oaks, which are numer- 

 ous, these owls were sure to be heard soon after dusk, and, not infrequently, 

 several would take up their stations in a tree within a few feet of the camp 

 fire, and remain for an hour or more, apparently to satisfy their curiosity, 

 uttering, from time to time, their low, responsive cries. Their notes vary 

 much in length, but, when full, consist of two prolonged syllables, with quite 

 an interval between, followed by a rapid utterance of six or seven notes, 

 which, at the end, are run together. They are very sociable in their dis- 

 position, and, as soon as it is fairly dusk, the first call of a solitary bird may 

 be heard issuing from some thicket, where it has remained in concealment 

 during the day. After one or two repetitions, this will be answered by 

 another, perhaps half a mile away, and soon by a third and a fourth, 

 apparently all coming together; and I have heard at least eight of these 

 owls, congregated within a short distance in the tree tops. When the band 

 was complete, they would move off, still apparently keeping together, till 

 their notes were lost in the distance. 



