h'll I
mil SCOPS FLAMMEOLA,
SCOPS FLAMMEOLA.
(TLAMMDLATED OYVEET).
Scops Jlammeola . . . Lichfc. in Mu s. Berol. ; Nomencl. p. 7.
„ . . . K au p , T ran s. Z, S. iv, p. 226.
„ „ . . . Schlegel, Mu s. d e P . B . Oti, p. 27.
. . . . Sc la ter, P.Z.S. 1858, p. 90.
„ „ . . . Sel. e t Salv. P.Z.S. 1868, p. 57.
S u p rà g risescenti-fuscus, n ig ro s tria tu s e t v e n n icu la tu s, sc ap u la rium ma rg in ib u s e t cap itis p lumis p a rtim rufo
v a riegatis ; remig um p rima rio n irn pogoniis e s te rn is maculis q u ad ra tis a lb is o rn a tis ; su b tù s g rise scen ti-alb u s , plumis
omn ib u s s trig a rachidali efc fasciis n umerosis tran sv ersis n ig ris in s tru c tis : g u lâ e t p e cto re ru fe scen te p a rtim tin c tis ;
ta rs ie omninò pluraosis, albis, n ig ro pau lum v a riegatis ; ro s tro p allidè comeo, apice flavicante ; p e dibus fuscis : long,
to ta 7 '0 , alæ 5 '5 , caudæ 1 6 , ta rs i 0 9.
Hab. in Mexico merid. : Ja lap a (Sallé): Orizab a (Sumichrast): California b o reali (Feilner): Gu atema lá (Salvin).
This Owl is one o f the many Mexican species named but never described by the late
Professor Lichtenstein. Dr. Kaup, however, has given full characters o f it, in his memoir on
the Strigidæ published in the Zoological Society’s “ Transactions”, under Lichtenstein’s MS.
name which has been generally adopted.
Scops fiammeola is readily distinguishable from everv" other American species o f the genus
(except Scops harharus) by its diminutive size, which is nearly the same as that o f our familiar
European bird. Its plumage below presents the same character o f mai-kings as that o f S . asio
and S. trichopsis, but, besides its size, the wholly bare toes at once distinguish the present bird.
Tlie third and fourth primaries o f the wing arc very nearly equal and longest, the fifth being
slightly shorter, and the second o f the same length as the sixth. The edgings o f the external
scapularies form a rufous line between the wing and the back, which we have not noticed in any
other species o f the group. This feature is well represented in our figure, which is taken from
a specimen obtained by Salvin at Dueñas in Guatemala in January 1863.
Besides Mexico and Guatemala, which w*e have already mentioned as localities for this
Owl, a portion o f the Western United States is likewise embraced within its range. A skin
collected by Mr. Feilner in August ISCO, at Fort Crook, in Northern California, in the collection of
the Smithsoniau Institution (No. 24,172) undoubtedly belongs to this species. A second specimen
in the same collection was obtained by Professor Sumichrast in the mountains o f Orizava. It
is marked “ iris golden-yellow, cere olive-yellow.” M'e have to record our great obligations to
the authoritie.s o f the Smithsonian Institution for the loan o f these and many other specimens
o f American Owds.
JüLT, 1868.