Basilan (Everett); Mindanao (Everett); Palawan (Whitehead, Platen); Samar (Steere Exp.).

Description.—“May be described as being a large form of Scops [=Otus] lempiji as it occurs in Java. Above it has the deep rich brown coloring of the Javan species; the same broad dark brown mark in the form of a parallelogram on the head and nape; the same pale colored forehead, stripe above each eye and round the nape, and the broad dark stripe leading from behind the eye, and including most of the ear-tufts; there are no pale uniform tawny or fulvous scapulars. Underneath, the markings differ from those of the Javan bird by being more confused, and by the absence of regular dark brown cross-markings on the abdominal plumes. The general coloring of the under surface is of a ruddier brown. Male: ‘Iris deep brown; feet whitish.’ (Everett.) Wing, 165; tail, 89; tarsus, 30; culmen, 16. Female: ‘Iris warm brown; bill pale greenish leaden, nearly white; feet whitish gray; claws dark gray.’ (Everett.) Wing, 171; tail, 92; tarsus, 30; culmen, 17.” (Tweeddale.)

“A single male specimen, secured in Palawan, measured 203 in length; wing, 137; tail, 73; culmen, 15; tarsus, 29; middle toe and claw, 26. Bill pale horn, darkest at base; feet dirty white; nails black at tip, gray at base; food insects. This specimen started within a meter of the head of the collector, and flew less than three meters before alighting.

“If S. everetti is a smaller race of S. lempiji it is hard to understand the above measurements. We were at first inclined to identify our Palawan specimen with the latter species, but after comparison with Dr. Steere’s specimen of S. everetti from Samar, find ourselves unable to do so.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

211. OTUS FULIGINOSUS (Sharpe).
PALAWAN SCREECH OWL.

Palawan (Whitehead).

Diagnosis.—Similar to Otus umbratilis but much smaller, and entirely rich brown; vermiculated and spotted as in typical Otus but auricular region uniform rufous-brown; and with frontal and cervical bands pale and obsolete.[25]