266 NORTE AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Genus GLAUCIDIUM Boie. (Page 257, pi. LXXY., fig. 3.) 



Species. 



Common Characters. — Upper parts grayish, brownish, or rufous, the wings 

 and scapulars more or less spotted with whitish, the tail barred with white or 

 rufous, the top of the head (in adults) streaked or speckled with, whitish (plain in 

 young); lower parts whitish, striped with blackish, brown, or rufous; eyebrows 

 whitish ; face encircled by a dusky border. 



a\ Sides of breast and fore-part of sides brownish, more or less distinctly spotted 

 with paler (spots sometimes indistinct, or partly concealed) ; tail-bands 

 always white, the interspaces blackish ; top of head speckled or dotted with 

 whitish in adult, plain plumbeous or slaty in young ; lower parts striped 

 with blackish ; color of back varying from slaty grayish to deep umber- or 

 sepia-brown ; length 6.50-7.50, wing 3.40-4.00, tail 2.40-2.80. Egg (single 

 specimen, identification somewhat doubtful) 1.17 X -88. Sab. Western 

 North America, north British Columbia, east to Colorado and New Mexico, 

 and south, through highlands of Mexico to Guatemala. 



379. G. gnoma Wagl. Pygmy Owl. 



a'. Sides of breast and fore-part of sides plain brown or rufous, without trace of 

 lighter markings; tail-bands varying from white to rufous, the interspaces 

 varying from grayish brown to blackish or dark rusty ; top of head narrowly 

 streaked with whitish or pale rusty in adult, plain in young ; lower parts 

 striped with brown or rufous; color of back, etc., varying from grayish 

 brown to bright rufous; length 6.50-7.00, wing 3.50^.60, tail 2.20-3.50. Sab. 

 Whole of tropical America (except West Indies), north to southwestern bor- 

 der of United States (southern Texas to Arizona). 



380. G. phalsenoides (Daud.). Ferruginous Pygmy Owl. 



Genus MICRATHENE Coues. (Page 257, pi. LXXV., fig. 4.) 



Species. 



Common Characters. — Above grayish or brownish, finely mottled with darker, 

 and indistinctly speckled with pale rusty ; an interrupted whitish collar across hind- 

 neck ; 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; eyebrows, lores, and "cravat" under chin white; lower parts 

 white, marked with ragged, rather longitudinal, blotches of pale brownish or rusty, 

 finely mottled with darker. 



a 1 . Prevailing tint grayish, or grayish brown ; bands on tail narrower, always (?) 

 interrupted on middle feathers; length 5.50-6.25, wing 4.00-4.40, tail 1.90- 

 2.30. Nest in hole of giant cactus. Eggs 3-4, 1.01 X -87. Hab. Southwestern 



