ZOOLOGY. 429 
and cannot observe any resemblance to warrant such a conclusion, 
the difference in size alone being sufficient to show the distinction. 
My own opinion is that it will be found to be the young of the 
saw-whet ; but is it not possible that they do-not all assume the 
same garb — that there may here be a freak of nature, so to speak, 
such as there is in the case of the screech owl, where we find both 
red and gray.” — J. A 
VARIATION IN THE TARSAL ENVELOPE oF THE Barb EAGLE. — 
a Having observed in Baird’s work and elsewhere remarks upon 
i Resiubon’ s plate of the ** Washington Eagle,” as well as upon his 
2 statement, ‘‘scutellation on tarsus and toes uniform for their whole 
‘ length,” I have thought that the results of my observations on 
Nova Scotian eagles may be considered pertinent.. I soon found 
- Scutellation valueless as a specific character; differing in details 
in almost every specimen, and often unlike on the two legs of the 
same specimen. In a series of thirty or forty specimens, I found 
in some the tarsus crossed*in front by five or six large scales; in 
others the scales successiv ely decreased in size by one-fourth, one- 
third, and one-half: ; and in the others again become almost obso- 
lete. The tarsal scuteila differ’ from those of the toes in being 
immovable in their mutual relations, the phalangeal ones sliding 
under each other when the toes are extended. There are eleven to 
thirteen on the middle toe, about eight on the outer, and five on 
the inner and head toe respectively ; they appear to vary less than 
the tarsal ones do. Now about the figure of “Haliætus Washing- 
tonii”. The bird is drawn standing on a flat rock, which throws 
the toes forward, causing the tarsal and phalangeal scutellation to 
appear continuous ; at least they would so appear, from the point 
of view presented, unless an engraver were particularly careful. 
Any bald eagle with well developed tarsal scales would show about 
_ the same thing under the same circumstances. Audubon’s text is 
not so easily explained ; but as he must have known that it was 
impossible for the stationary scales of either tarsus or toes to 
_ Slip so as to meet each other, we may conclude that he meant 
“scales continuous the whole length of each.” But the question 
of the validity of “ H. Washingtonii” does not rest entirely 
"pon the accuracy or the reverse, of delineation and description. 
It is only for a few „years that four positive species — pelagica, 
ea leucocéphalus and Canadensis have been discriminated 
. 
oe 
