Mindoro (Whitehead).
Adult female.—Similar to Otus longicornis but smaller; hair-like feathers on each side of mandible shorter, the longest less than 25 mm.; forehead and space above eyes almost uniform pale buff; ear-tufts shorter, the longest feather about 30 mm.; white nuchal band obsolete; lower parts mostly buffy, and almost entirely devoid of white. Length, 183; wing, 135; tail, 63; tarsus, 29. Male unknown. (Whitehead.)
This species is known from the type only, a badly damaged skin obtained by Whitehead.
215. OTUS WHITEHEADI (Grant).
WHITEHEAD’S SCREECH OWL.
- Scops whiteheadi Grant, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club. (1895), 4, 40; Ibis (1895), 440; Whitehead, Ibis (1899), 97; Sharpe, Hand-List (1899), 1, 287.
- Otus whiteheadi McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 46.
Luzon (Whitehead).
Description.—“This remarkably fine new species is most nearly related to Scops everetti of Tweeddale, from the Island of Mindanao, but it is very much larger, and is, in fact, the largest Scops at present known to inhabit the Old World. The feathering on the tarsi extends over the basal joints of toes; the light cross-bars on the inner webs of the quills are much less conspicuous; and the middle of the lower breast and belly is uniform whitish buff, in marked contrast to the sides. Both the gray and rufous phases of plumage are represented. Adult male. Length, 241 to 254; wing, 185 to 188; tail, 91 to 94; tarsus, 42. Adult female. Length, 279 to 289; wing, 195 to 203; tail, 99 to 102; tarsus, 42 to 48.” (Grant.)
“Iris golden brown; bill brownish white, tipped with white; feet dull white, nails white.” (Whitehead.)
Known from Whitehead’s specimens only, which were collected in Lepanto, northern Luzon.