An interesting fact relating to the species just mentioned (_Scops asio_), has recently been communicated to us by our esteemed friend, Mr. William Kite, of Chester county, Pennsylvania, a careful observer, much attached to the pursuit of natural history. He made the singular discovery that in this species the early ceremonies in the association of a pair about to assume the duties of incubation were for the greater part performed on the ground, and were accompanied invariably by unusual and continued cries, thus illustrating in a striking manner the strong analogy of these birds to the cat-like quadrupeds. This remarkable circumstance we regard as new in the history of this family of birds, and the observation of other species would be in a high degree interesting. Further investigations and collections in this family are particularly desirable in the western and northwestern regions of North America, and will very probably result in the discovery of species not now known to naturalists. B. Doubtful and obscure species which have been described as inhabiting America north of Mexico:— 1. Strix wapacuthu. Gm., Syst. Nat. I., p. 291. (1788.) Pennant, Arctic Zoology I., p. 268. Rich. and Sw. Fauna Boreali Americana, Birds, p. 86, 99. “The Spotted Owl (_Wapacuthu_) weighs five pounds, and is two feet long and four broad; the irides bright yellow; bill and talons shining black, and much curved, the former covered with bristly hairs projecting from the base; space between the eyes, the cheeks, and throat, white; on the top of the head, and on each side of the concha, the extreme parts of the feathers are dusky black; concha dirty white; scapularies, with the lesser and greater coverts of the wings, white, elegantly barred with reddish dusky spots pointing downwards; the quill feathers and tail are irregularly barred and spotted with pale red and black; back and coverts of the tail white, with a few dusky spots; under coverts and vent feathers white; the breast and belly dusky white, crossed with an infinite number of narrow reddish bars; the legs are feathered to the toes; the latter covered with hairs like those of the bill, but not so strong. “This bird is an inhabitant of the woods, makes a nest in the moss on dry ground, lays from _five to ten_ white eggs in May, and the young fly in June, and are entirely white for some time after. They feed on mice and small birds, which they generally kill themselves. Hutchins’ MSS., p. 99.” Fauna. Bor. Am., Birds, p. 99.