z ; ZOOLOGY. 239 
two tints of reddish brown, with numerous faint points and 
touches of lilac and very pale underlying red. These marks are 
much more thickly disposed at the greater end where they form 
quite large blotches, but there is little indication of aring. The 
eggs differ from those of S. aurocapillus in being more round 
and polished, and the spots generally larger and more distinct. 
ne, however, is much paler than the other three. They measure 
"80 X-60; 80°60; "79 X61, and -75X°62 of an inch. 
The female was shot after giving me a good opportunity to 
observe her behavior, when she thought herself entirely alone. 
She kept close to the water, but occasionally flew upon low twigs, 
alighting ina careful balancing attitude as though it were a great 
effort to hold on, and keeping up a coquettish flirting of her tail 
and queer, comical movements of her head. When frightened 
from the nest she uttered a few distinct chirrups but afterwards 
kept silent.— ERNEST INGERSOLL, Cambridge, Mass. 
Two Rare OWLS rrom ARIZONA. — Charles Bendire, U. S. A 
well known as an‘ enthusiastic and energetic ornithologist through 
his various communications to the Narvurauist, has lately sent me 
a specimen each of two rare species of owls, from the vicinity of 
‘Tucson, Arizona. Of Syrnium occidentale, Captain Bendire’s 
Specimen is the second ever obtained, the first having been pro- 
cured by Mr. Xantus at Ft. Tejon, southern California, in 1859. 
The specimen collected by Captain Bendire is an adult female, 
collected Noy. 7, 1872. The manuscript notes on the label are 
-as follows: — “Length, 17-25; extent, 42°25; bill, pale yellow; 
eyes, blue-black.” : 
The specimen of Micrathene Whitney? is the fourth ever obtained, 
the type being from Ft. Mojave, California, and the other two from 
Socorro Island, off the western coast of Mexico, in latitude 18° . 
89’. The latter were collected by the late Col. A. J. Grayson, and 
the former by Dr. Cooper. ) Captain Bendire’s specimen, which is 
-~ adult in fine plumage, was shot April 20, 1872, on the Rillito 
__ teek, There are no measurements or other notes accompanyin 
H: Accompanying these specimens is an adult male of Asturina 
nitida, var. plagiata, shot on the Rillito creek, May 30, 1872. 
This specimeń possesses peculiar interest from the fact of being 
 _ the first Specimen received at the National Museum from any por- 
tion of the United States, though its occurrence within our limits 
