508 Conspectus of the Ornithology of India. [No. 7. 



S. zorca et giu, Scopoli. 



S. pulchella, Pallas. 



S. carniolica, Gmelin. 



(S. ephialtes, Savigny. 



8. bakhamcena (?), Pennant. 



Scops europceus, Lesson. 



Sc. senegalensis, Swainson. 



Sc. capensis, Smith. 



Sc. sunia (chesnut variety), and Sc. pennata (grey variety), 

 Hodgson. 



Sc. malayanus, A. Hay. 



Sc. rutilus, Pucheran, Rev. Zool. &c, 1849, p. 299. 



Ephialtes spilocephalus (?), Blyth, the young? 



Otus (Scops) japonicus, et 0. (Sc.) africanus, Tern, (apud 

 G. R. Gray). 

 Chitta gul ( f small Owl' ?), Telinga (Jerdon) : Chugad husial, or 

 Sunya husial, Nepal (Hodgson). 

 Hab. Europe, Asia, and Africa : in Europe migratory. 

 Remark. In India, Burma, &c, this species assumes a phase of 

 plumage very commonly, which does not appear to have been ever 

 observed in Europe, and in Africa but rarely ;* though frequent also 

 in Sc. asio of N. America, and a similar variation (though to a less 

 extent) occurs likewise in Syrnium aluco, as well as in some of the 

 Podargi. It is characteristic neither of age nor sex. The phase 

 referred to is a bright chesnut-rufous colouring, more or less deep, with 

 the markings sometimes nearly obsolete, except the black tips of the 

 ruff and under- scapularies, and some streaks on the breast and flanks, 

 the belly and lower tail-coverts continuing white with the usual mark- 

 ings. The aigrettes (so far as we have seen) are always rufous in 

 Indian specimens ; and there is generally a strong tinge of this hue 

 upon the wings. We continue to doubt whether Scops spilocephalus, 

 nobis (/. A. S. xv. 8), should not rather be considered a distinct species, 

 even after examination of a second specimen ; and an Ephialtes gymno- 



* Sc. rutiluSf Pucheran, is from Madagascar; and M. Alfred Malherbe mentions 

 a specimen from Algeria " d'un roux vif rayc de noir et de cendre." Catal. Rats, 

 d' Ois. de I'Algerie, p. 8. An Algerian specimen sent by that gentleman to the 

 Society's museum has a considerable admixture of rufous in its colouring. 



