STBIGIBJE: OTHER OWLS. 515 



G. gnoma, the head-markings are dots and spots, not lines.) Back like the head, olivaceous- 

 brown, but without markings, except on the scapulars, most of which feathers have a large . 

 round white spot on the outer web near the end, and more or fewnr pairs of fulvous spots on 

 both webs. Color of back and head divided by an obvious cervical collar, consisting of a series 

 of diffuse whitish, and another of fulvous, spots, separated by a nearly continuous line of black. 

 Upper tail-oxiverts usually more or less rufescent, approximating to the color of the tail. 

 Eemiges olivaceous-fuscons, like the back, the primaries imperfectly and indistinctly, the sec- 

 ondaries completely and decidedly, cross-barred with numerous rufescent bands, narrower than 

 the dark intervals ; besides which markings some of the primaries have an incompleted series 

 of small whitish or very pale fulvous spots iilong the outer edge, and all have large and deep 

 indentations of white or whitish along the inner web, increasing in size from the ends toward 

 the bases of all the feathers, and also on individual feathers from the outer primaries to the 

 inner secondaries, on which last they reach quite across the inner webs. Lining of wings 

 white, with an oblique dark bar, and another curved dark bar, the latter across the ends of the 

 under coverts. Under parts white, heavily streaked along the sides with the color of the back ; 

 this color extending quite across the breast, where, however, the feathers have dilated shaft- 

 lines of whitish ; chin and throat white, divided into two areas by a blackish or dark gular col- 

 lar, which curves across from one post-auricular region to the other. The markings all diffuse. 

 Auriculars dark, sharply scratched with white shaft-lines, bounded below by pure white. Eye- 

 brows white, pretty definitely bounded above by tlie color of the crown. Region immediately 

 about the bill whitish, but mixed with the long, heavy, black bristles that project far beyond 

 the bill, which latter is greenish at base, growing dull yellowish at the end ; sparsely-haired 

 toes somewhat like the bill; claws brownish- black; iris lemon-yellow. Length of <J about 

 6.50; extent 14.50; -wing 3.50; tail 2.50; tarsus 0.75; middle toe without claw about the 

 same, its claw 0.40. ? larger : length 7.00 or more ; wing 4.00 ; tail nearly 3.00. Bed 

 phase : Entire upper parts deep rufous-red, with the lighter markings of the head, etc., obsolete 

 or obliterated ; tail the same, with dark bars scarcely traceable. Dark cervical coUar, however, 

 conspicuous. White of under parts tinged with yellowish or fulvous ; the markings of the 

 under parts similar in color to the ground of the upper parts, but duller and paler; tibiae rufous, 

 without markings. Gqlar collar blackish. Various intermediate stages have been observed, 

 and the species is to be found in every degree of transition, from the slightest departure ft-om 

 the normal state to the completely erythritic condition. These color-conditions are common to 

 both sexes. In extreme cases, the rufous becomes intense and almost uniform, a light rufous 

 replacing even the white of the under parts, and there being no traces left of bars on the wings 

 or tail. Texas to Arizona and Southern California, and southward. 

 169. MICRATHE'NE. (Gr. /iiKpos, mikros, small; 'h6fi</r), Athene, goddess of wisdom, to whom 

 the owl was sacred.) Elf Owls. 'RAaXiiA to Glaucidium; of very diminutive size, including 

 the smallest known species of owl, and one of the least of all raptorial birds. Head perfectly 

 smooth; no plumicoms; ear-parts small, non-operculate ; facial disc incomplete, with eye not 

 centric. Nostril circular, opening in the tumid cere. Tarsi scarcely feathered below the suf- 

 frago, being almost entirely naked and bristly, like the toes ; this is as in Speotyto, though 

 other characters are quite different. Claws remarkably small and weak; middle toe and claw 

 about as long as the tarsus; outer claw reaching a little beyond base of middle claw; inner 

 intermediate between middle and outer. Wings very long, rather more than f the total length 

 ol the bird, but much rounded, the 1st primary only f as long as the longest one; 3d and 4th 

 longest, 5th but little shorter, 2d about equal to 6th ; the outer four sinuate on inner webs. 

 Tail of moderate length, -^ as long as the wing, the feathers not graduated, and broad to their 

 very tips. Bill small and weak, compressed at base, where hidden in dense antrorse bristly 

 feathers ; culmen and gonys only moderately convex ; lower mandible obsoletely notched. 

 One species known. 



