OTOPHANES. 391 



forming distinct superciliary ruffs or shields which extend from the gape along the 

 sides of the crown to the occiput, where they terminate in tufts of elongated feathers, 

 erectile in life and precisely similar in form and position to the ear-tufts of a Scops- 

 Owl. The superciliary shields, as well as the feathers along the maxillary line and 

 many of the auriculars, are tipped with a fringe of delicate, black, hair-like bristles of 

 varying length, the longest extending about 0-3 inch beyond the ends of the feathers. 

 These bristles are the elongated shafts of feathers and a few barbs without their 

 barbules. 



The tarsi are not quite naked as Mr. Brewster states, as the extreme proximal end 

 in front has small feathers, much as in Phaloenoptilus. 



The only known species is 0. macleodi, the range of which is given below. 



1. Otophanes macleodi. 



Otophanes macleodi, Brewster, Auk, v. p. 89 ' j viii. p. 320, t. 1 = ; Hartert, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. 

 xvi. p. 581 \ 



Eufo-brunneus, fulvo minute irroratus ; vertiois lateribus, genis et gula grisescentioribus ; cervice postica fulvo 

 et brunneo transfasciata ; scapularibus maciilis magnis saturate brunneis griseo limbatis, tectricibus alarum 

 maculis albis brunneo marginatis ornatis : subtus fascia gutturali transversa alba, abdomine maculis 

 quibusdam albis notata ; alis nigricantibus fulvo transfasciatis ; Cauda nigricante indistincte fasciata, 

 rectricibus externis albo anguste terminatis. Long, tota circa 8-5, alse 5*1, caudse 4-1, tarsi 0-63, dig. 

 mod. cum. ungue 0*85. (Descr. maris ex Hacienda de San Marcos, Zapotlan, Mexico. Mus. nostr.) 

 § maxi similis, sed (ut videtur) omnino rufescentior. 



Hob. Mexico, Sierra Madre of Chihuahua {McLeod ^), Hacienda de San Marcos near 

 Zapotlan in Jalisco ( W. Lloyd ^). 



The first specimen of this curious bird was obtained by Mr. R. E. Macleod in 

 December 1884, and passing into Mr. Brewster's collection was described by him in 

 1888. Mr. McLeod omitted to record the exact locality where the specimen was 

 obtained, as the bird was brought to him alive by a Mexican boy when staying in the 

 State of Chihuahua. Mr. Brewster considers that El Carmen was most likely the 

 place where the bird was captured, or perhaps Durasno. It was kept in a cage for 

 two weeks, during which time it refused food, which had to be forced upon it. It 

 moved the ear-tufts precisely as an Owl does, erecting them when approached or 

 startled by any sudden noise, allowing them to drop back on the crown when it thought 

 itself alone and safe. Mr. Brewster's specimen is a female, and was carefully figured 

 by Mr. Eidgway in the volume of the ' Auk ' for 1891. 



The only specimen we have received from Mexico was shot by Mr. William Lloyd 

 when staying at the hacienda of San Marcos near Zapotlan in the State of Jalisco, and 

 therefore a long way from Mr. McLeod's locality. Our specimen is a male and is in 

 much greyer plumage than the female type, as represented in the figure, but there can 

 be no doubt that the two birds belong to the same species. 



