LOPHOSTEIX.— SCOPS. 15 



1873, from the slopes of the Volcan de Agua, above the village of San Diego. The 

 iris of these fresh specimens was bright yellow and the toes lead-colour. 



Southward of Guatemala it has been traced to Costa Rica and the State of Panama. 

 Near San Jose, in the former country, Mr. Cherrie says it is resident but rather rare. 



SCOPS. 



Scops, Savigny, Syst. Ois. Egypte, p. 9 (1810) ; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. ii. p. 43. 

 Megascops (subgenus), Kaup, Isis, 1848, p. 769. 



Excluding the two species of Lophostrix which Dr. Sharpe places in Scops, twenty- 

 three species and twenty-seven subspecies are included in that author's catalogue of 

 Striges published in 1875. This statement alone shows how variable the members of 

 Scops are and how much room there is for difference of opinion as to the specific limits 

 of the geographical and other forms. Many of the species are dichromatic and, more- 

 over, it appears from recent observations that one form may change in the same 

 individual into another. Besides these recognized states of plumage there is apparently 

 endless individual diversity of colour, so that only from a general impression derived 

 from a number of specimens seen together, which must, from their being found in 

 the same district, belong to one species, can some slight clue to the existence of different 

 races be obtained. 



"We have arrived at the conclusions which follow as to the number of species in our 

 region after a prolonged study, in which we have had Dr. Sharpe's aid. We have also 

 had the great benefit of a correspondence with Mr. Ridgway, and the loan of some of 

 his types, and we have accepted his views so far as our series of specimens, now a very 

 extensive one, has permitted us. The result, we still fear, must be modified hereafter 

 to some extent ; but the majority of the eleven species we recognize will, we have 

 little doubt, be left to stand as such. 



The species of Scops of North America are sharply divided from those of the 

 southern continent by the feathering of the toes. Many of those of Central America 

 are intermediate in this respect, the feathers of the digits being replaced by bristle-like 

 feathers. With these occur birds of purely southern type, though the latter probably 

 affect the hotter low-lying districts. 



Scops may be distinguished from Bubo, which it resembles in having prominent 

 ear-tufts, by the much smaller size of all the species, some of which are amongst the 

 smallest of the Owls, and by the distinct style of coloration. The wings, too, are 

 comparatively longer and reach to the extremity of the tail. 



The range of Scops embraces the whole of the Old World except the extreme north. 

 It is absent from Australia and from Oceania. In North America forms of Scops are 

 found from Canada and Sitka southwards, and in South America only Argentina, 

 Patagonia, and Chili are outside its range. 



