The species of this genus are cosmopolitan, the greater number, however, being found in tropical regions. All the American species differ from _S. zorca_ of Europe in having the fourth and fifth quills longest, instead of the second, and in having three to four, instead of only two, of the outer quills with the inner web sinuated, as well as in having the quills shorter, broader, and more bowed, and their under surface more concave. They may, perhaps, be distinguished as a separate subgenus (_Megascops_, Kaup). Of the American species all but _S. asio_ (including its several races) have the toes perfectly naked to their very bases. Species and Races. COMMON CHARACTERS. Plumage brown, gray, or rufous, and whitish, finely mottled above; lower parts transversely barred, and with dark shaft-streaks. Outer webs of lower scapulars light-colored (white or ochraceous) and without markings. Tail crossed by rather obscure mottled light and dark bars of nearly equal width. Outer webs of primaries with nearly equal bands of whitish and dusky. 1. =S. asio.= Toes covered (more or less densely) with bristles, or hair-like feathers. Wing, 5.50–7.80; tail, 3.20–4.10; culmen, .50–.70; tarsus, 1.00–1.70; middle toe, .70–.80. Ear-tufts well developed; facial circle black. Colors smoky-brown and pale fulvous, with little or none of pure white. Outer webs of the scapulars pale ochraceous-fulvous. Wing, 6.90–7.30; tail, 3.50–4.50. _Hab._ North Pacific region, from Western Idaho and Washington Territory, northward to Sitka … var. _kennicotti_. Colors ashy-gray and pure white, with little or none of fulvous. Outer webs of the scapulars pure white. Varying to bright brick-red, or lateritious-rufous. Mottlings coarse, the blackish median streaks above not sharply defined, and the bars beneath heavy and distinct. Wing, 6.10–7.75; tail, 3.30–4.35. In the red plumage, white prevailing on the lower parts, where the red markings are not broken into transverse bars. _Hab._ United States; except the Southern Middle Province, the northwest region, and Florida … var. _asio_. Wing, 5.50–6.00; tail, 2.75–3.10. In the red plumage, red prevailing on the lower parts, where the markings are much broken into transverse bars. _Hab._ Florida and Southern Georgia … var. _floridanus_. Wing, 5.50–5.80; tail, 3.20–3.30. Gray plumage, like var. _asio_, but the mottling above much coarser, and the nape with a strongly indicated collar of rounded white spots in pairs, on opposite webs. Red plumage not seen. _Hab._ Eastern Mexico and Guatemala …