806 BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



the interscapular region, as well as scapulars, sometimes crossed with 

 broad and regular bars of dull brownish white, and spots on under 

 parts relatively larger, darker, and less rufescent or cinnamomeous. 



Adult male. — ^Length (skins), 171; wing, 94.5; tail, 61.5; culmen 

 (from cere), 11.5." 



Adult female.—Length. (skins), 182-189 (185); wing, 101.5-109.5 

 (105); tail, 68.5-73 (70.5); culmen (from cere), 12-12.5 (12.2).* 



Isle of Pines, Cuba (Nueva Gerona). 



Ghuddium siju (not Noctua siju D'Orbigny) Bangs and Zappey, Am. Nat., 

 xxxix, 1905, 202 (Isle of Pines, Cuba). 



Genus MICROPALLAS Coues. 



Micrathme (not Micrathena Sundevall, 1833) Cotjbs, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 

 xviii; 1866, 51. (Type, by original designation, Athene wMtneyi Cooper.) 



Mio'opallas Coues, Auk, vi, Jan., 1889, 71, in text. (New name to replace Micra- 

 thene Coues, preoccupied.) 



Very small," lightly buUt, Bubonidse (wing 101.6-112), with the 

 small circular nostril opening near center of the inflated (semibulbOus) 

 cere, head without ear-tufts, tail less than half as long as wing and 

 composed of only ten rectrices, and with the tarsus scantily haired or 

 bristled (not feathered). 



Bill relatively small and weak, rather compressed; top of cere less 

 than half as long as chord of culmen, very broad, arched anteriorly. 

 Nostril very small, circular, opening near center of the inflated (semi- 

 bulbous) cere. External ear-openings small, ovate, or pyriform, 

 simple, symmetrical. Wing rather long, with longest primaries 

 exceeding distal secondaries by nearly one-third the total length of 

 wing; seventh and eighth, or sixth, seventh, and eighth,"* primaries 

 longest, the tenth (apparent outermost) slightly shorter than second;" 

 four outer primaries with inner webs sinuated (but sinuation very dis- 

 tinct only on two outerinost) ; secondaries thirteen. Tail short (less 

 than half as long as wing), truncate or very slightly rounded, consist- 

 ing of only ten rectrices. Tarsus about as long as middle toe with 

 claw, scantily covered (all round) with short hairs or bristles (clothed 

 with short feathers on extreme upper portion), the toes sparsely 

 bristled. 



Coloration. — ^Above grayish or brownish, finely mottled with darker, 

 and indistinctly speckled with pale rusty; an interrupted whitish 

 coUar across hindneck; outer webs of outermost scapulars white; 

 wings spotted with whitish and pale rusty; tail brownish, crossed by 

 5-6 narrow, usually interrupted, bands of pale brownish or rusty; 



o One specimen. 



i> Three specimens. 



« The smallest of known Striges. 



<* Third and fourth, or third, fourth, and fifth, from outside. 



« Ninth from outside. 



