38 ASIOJSriD^. 



habits of M. whitneyi, partly from his own observations, partly from those of others, 

 and Dr. Fisher also gives a similar summary in his excellent work on the Hawks and 

 Owls of the United States. 



From Mexico we have as yet heard little of this Owl, and no specimens have reached 

 us from that country. It is said by Herrera to be found in the Valley of Mexico, and 

 there is a specimen in the United States National Museum sent from Guanajuato by 

 Prof. A. Duges ^. Prof. Ferrari-Perez also sent to the same museum an adult male 

 obtained at San Salvador el Verde, in the State of Puebla ^. 



2. Micropallas graysoni. 



Micrathene whitneyi, Grays. Pr. Bost. Soc. N. H. xiv. p. 300 (nee Coues) ^ ; Lawr. Mem. Bost.^ 



Soc. N. H, ii. p. 297 \ 

 Micrathene graysoni, Ridgw. Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. ix. p. 166 ' ; Auk, 1886^ p. 333 *. 



M. whitneyi similis, sed multo bmnnescentior hand griseo lavata, fasciis paUidis caudae et area inter eas- 

 ffiqualibus. 



Hal. Mexico, Socorro I. {Grayson ^^^^). 



The Socorro-Island birds obtained by Grayson were long considered to belong to the 

 continental M. whitneyi, till Mr. Eidgway separated them in 1886 ^. We have never 

 seen specimens of this form, and have taken our diagnosis from Mr. Eidgway's 

 description ^. Grayson obtained three specimens of this little Owl during his stay on 

 Socorro Island. He says they were always found among the branches of low evergreen 

 trees. He adds that they seem to feed entirely upon the small land-crabs which are 

 abundant near the sea ^. The iris in life is bright yellow i. 



Note. — In the 'Transactions of the Zoological Society' (vol. iv. p. 232) Kaup- 

 described an Owl from Mexico, which we do not recognize, as follows : — 



" Asio macmras, Kp. 



" Diagn. The tail 'browii, 148 mm. long, with five smaU whitish bands and end. 



" Deser. The upper parts dark brown, with two to three irregular rusty-yeUow cross bands on each feather. 

 The lower parts white, on each feather a broad dark-brown shaft-stripe. The under tail-coverts pure- 

 white. Wings on the inner sides blackish, with from three to five whitish pronged bands and spots. 

 Tarsi rusty-yellowish white, with rusty-yellow cross-lines. The bristle-feathers of the lorum white with 

 black shafts. The stripe over the eye dirty-white, extending to the ear-horns, which are not very well 

 distinguished. Veil white, each feather with rusty-yellow black-margined shaft-spots. 



" Bimena. Head 70, bill from the root 20, from the gape 34, vdng 250, tarsus 60, middle toe without the 

 nail 39, left ear-hole (taken on a stuffed specimen) 14, right ear-hole 22 mm. long. 



"Hah. Mexico (Wurzburg Museum)." 



