| OCR Text |
Show 121 except in the uniform dark plumbeous of the lower parts it is exactly like dark Ecuador examples of N. vpntralis, while the type of the supposed species is from the Quito Valley. In his recent work on the Owls,* Mr. Sharpe mentions ( on p. 23) a specimen of Bubo, supposed to be B. virginianus, in the Salvin- Godman collection, from Ecuador, " which, is so black as to suggest the possibility of its being a case of melanism". Should this remarkable bird prove to be indeed a melanism of either B. virginianus or B. magellanicus, the case will be a unique one in this family, so far as we know; and allowing the probability of this proving to be really its character, it is reasonable to suspect a similar exceptional case in the bird under consideration. List of ( specimens in United States National Museum, 14.3 67344. 61942-. gs s. M. ? ail. Locality. Ecuador " South America " . W telSed01" IrrorowlHHn received.; Collected by- G. B. Gooile. Other specimens examined.- Mus. O. Salvia, 8; G. N. Lawrence, 2; Phi lad. Acad., f>; total number examined, 18. Measurements. i Locality. Venezuela ( Merida) Ecuador New Granada New Granada ( interior) . Ecuador ( near Quito) . .. New Granada ( interior). Ecuador " South America" Colombia ( Antioquia) .. , do 6.90 6.75 6.80 6.95 6.60 8.00 7.80 7.80 7.75 6.80 5.80 6.00 6.00 5.70 6.00 7.00 7.00 K. 80 6.90 6.20 J " a O 0.40 0.40 0.45 0.40 0.40 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.53 0.42 Collected bv- a i 1.90 1.00 2.00 1.95 2.15 2.20 2.15 2.10 1.25 1.25 1.30 1.40 1.45 1.50 1.50 1.30 Goering. • Higgin*. • ( Verrcaux.) Triibner. Higeina. Triibner. T. K. Salmon. Do. NISUS SALVINL . Vuiw sal vim, RiiHiW. sp. nov. Wing, 7.60- 7.80; tail, 6.90- 7.00; cultnen, 0.50; tarsus, 2.15- 2.20; middle toe, 1.45- 1.50. Fourth and fifth quills longest; first shortest; outer five with inner webs emarginated. Tail nearly even or very slightly rounded ( S). Adult ( female?).- Above, including the auriculars, uniform plumbeous, the scapulars and upper tail- coverts with concealed white spots; tail black, narrowly tipped with pale gray, and crossed by four narrow bands of light brownish- gray. Tibiae uniform cinnamon- rufous; rest of lower parts white; the feathers with dark- brown shafts, except on thecrissum. Wing, 7.60; tail, 6.90. ( Coll. O. Salvin.) Young { female t).- Above, dark sepia; the feathers with distinct terminal borders of rusty. Tail narrowly tipped with white, and crossed " Catalogue of the Striges, or Nocturnal Birds of Prey, in the Collection of the British Museum. By B. Bowdler Sharpe. London: 1875. No. 2 3 |
