STRIGID^ : OTHER OWLS. 
515 
G. gnoma, the head-markings arc dots and spots, not lines.) Back like the head, olivaceous- 
brown, but without markings, except on the scapulars, most of which feathers have a large 
round white spot on the outer web liear the end, and more or fewer pairs of fulvous spots on 
both webs. Color of back and head divided by an obvious cervical collar, consisting of a series 
of diflFuse whitish, and another of fulvous, spots, separated by a nearly continuous line of black. 
Upper tail-coverts usually more or less rufescent, approximating to the color of the tail. 
Remiges olivaceous-fuscous, like the back, the primaries imperfectly and indistinctly, the sec- 
ondaries completely and decidedly, cross-barred with numerous rufescent bands, narrower than 
the dark intervals ; besides which markings some of the primaries have an incompleted series 
of small whitish or very pale fulvous spots along the outer edge, and all have large and deep 
indentations of white or whitish along the inner web, increasing in size from the ends toward 
the bases of all the feathers, and also on individual feathers from the outer primaries to the 
inner secondaries, on which last they reach quite across the inner webs. Lining of wings 
white, with an oblique dark bar, and another curved dark bar, the latter across the ends of the 
under coverts. Under parts white, heavily streaked along the sides with the color of the back ; 
this color extending quite across the breast, where, however, the feathers have dilated shaft- 
lines of whitish ; chin and throat white, divided into two areas by a blackish or dark gular col- 
lar, which curves across from one post-auricular region to the other. The markings all diffuse. 
Auriculars dark, sharply scratched with white shaft-lines, bounded below by pure white. Eye- 
brows white, pretty definitely bounded above by the color of the crown. Region immediately 
about the bill whitish, but mixed with the long, heavy, black bristles that project far beyond 
the bill, which latter is greenish at base, growing dull yellowish at the end ; sparsely -haired 
toes somewhat like the bill; claws brownish- black ; iris lemon-yellow. Length of $ about 
6.50; extent 14.50; wing 3.50: tail 2.50; tarsus 0.75; middle toe without claw about the 
same, its claw 0.40. 9 larger : length 7.00 or more ; wing 4.00 ; tail nearly 3.00. Bed 
phase : Entire upper parts deep rufous-red, with the lighter markings of the head, etc., obsolete 
or obliterated ; tail the same, with dark bars scarcely traceable. Dark cervical collar, however, 
conspicuous. White of under parts tinged with yellowish or fulvous ; the markings of the 
under parts similar in color to tiie ground of the upper parts, but duller and paler; tibise rufous, 
without markings. Gular collar blackish. Various intermediate stages have been observed, 
and the species is to be found in every degree of transition, from the slightest departure from 
the normal state to the completely erythritic conditicm. These color-conditions are common to 
both sexes. In extreme cases, the rufous becomes intense and almost uniform, a light rufous 
replacing even the white of the under parts, and there being no traces left of bars on the wings 
or tail. Texas to Arizona and Southern California, and southward. 
169. MICRATHE'NE. (Gr. (xiKpos, mikros, small; 'Adrjurj, Athene, goddess of wisdom, to whom 
the owl was sacred.) Elf Owls. Related to GlaucicUum; of very diminutive size, including 
the smallest known species of owl, and one of the least of all raptorial birds. Head perfectly 
smooth ; no plumicorns ; ear-parts small, non-operculate ; facial disc incomplete, with eye not 
centric. Nostril circular, opening in the tumid cere. Tarsi scarcely feathered below the suf- 
frago, being almost entirely naked and bristly, like the toes ; this is as in Speotijto, though 
other characters are quite difierent. Claws remarkably small and weak ; middle toe and claw 
about as l(>ng as the tarsus ; outer claw reaching a little beyond base of middle claw ; inner 
intermediate between middle and outer. Wings very long, rather more than f the total length 
of the bird, but much rounded, the 1st prhnary only f as long as the longest one ; 3d and 4th 
longest, 5th but little shorter, 2d about equal to 6th ; the outer four sinuate on inner webs. 
Tail of moderate length, ^ as long as the wing, the feathers not graduated, and broad to their 
very tips. Bill small and weak, compressed at base, where hidden in dense antrorse bristly 
feathers; culmen and gonys only moderately convex; lower mandible obsoletely notched. 
One species known. 
