190 STRIGES. 



Pryer collection from Yokohama (one in the brown^ and the other in 

 the rufons phase). Mr. Ringer has obtained an example (very 

 rufous) from Nagasaki (Blakistoa and Pryer^ Trans. As. Soc. Japan, 

 1882, p. 178). 



The Japanese race of this species was originally described as Otus 

 scops japonicus (Temminck and Schlegel, Fauna Japonica, Aves, 

 p. 27) J and the Chinese race was, about twenty years afterwards, 

 described as Scops stictonotus (Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. ii. p. 54). 

 These races cannot, however, be regarded as distinct, and the range 

 of the subspecies extends beyond China to Nepal and Siam. The 

 typical form is larger (wing from carpal joint 6^ to 5| inches), and 

 has the dark stripes both above and below more conspicuous. There 

 is little difference in colour between the rufous phases of the two 

 races, but the grey phase of the typical form is represented by a 

 brown phase in the eastern race. 



171. SCOPS PRYERI. 



(PRYEB^S SCOPS OWL.) 



Scops pi-yeri, Gurney, Ibis, 1889, p. 802. 



Pryer's Scops Owl is the largest species of Scops Owl found in 

 the Japanese Empire (wing from carpal joint 7\ inches) . The 

 feathering of the tarsus, like that of S. scops, extends to the base of 

 the toes, but not beyond ; it is consequently more than that of S, 

 elegans, but less than that of S. semitorques. It agrees with the last- 

 mentioned species in having a short first primary (equal to the 9th 

 or 10th), but differs from it in having the pale band on the hind 

 neck almost obsolete. 



Mr. J. H. Gurney informed me that he " thinks Scops pryeri is 

 nearest allied to S. leucospilus " (from Batchian and Gilolo, figured 

 on plate 6 of Sharpens Catalogue) , " S. morotensis " (from the Mo- 

 luccas, figured on plate 7 of the same work), "and S. bouruensis" 

 (from Bourn, also figured on plate 7), "a, group in which S. magicus" 

 (from Ceram and Amboyna, figured on plate 5) " ought perhaps to 

 be included." 



Pryer's Scops Owl is only known from two examples, an adult in 

 the Norwicb Museum and an immature example in the Pryer col- 

 lection. Both specimens were procured on one of the islands of the 

 central group of the Loo-Choo chain. 



