_Speotyto_, “GLOGER, 1842.” (Type, _Strix cunicularia_, MOL.)
“_Pholeoptynx_, KAUP, 1848.” (Same type.)
GEN. CHAR. Size small; head small, and without ear-tufts. Bill
moderately strong, pale yellowish. Tarsi more than twice as long as the
middle toe, feathered in front, naked behind; toes scantily haired.
Tail short, less than half the wing, nearly even, or very slightly
rounded. Three outer quills with their inner webs emarginated; second
to fourth longest. Ear-conch very small, simple, roundish. Diurnal and
terrestrial.
[Illustration: =5896= ½ ½
_Speotyto hypogæa._]
This genus is peculiar to America, where it is distributed over the
whole of the southern and the western half of the northern continent, as
well as in some of the West India Islands. There appears to be but one
well-characterized species,[35] this one modified into representative
races in the several geographical provinces over which it ranges. The
species is terrestrial, inhabiting the abandoned burrows of Armadillos
and Rodents. It is diurnal, possessing as much freedom of sight,
hearing, and motion in the brightest sunlight, as any species of the
_Falconidæ_.
Species and Races.
=S. cunicularia.= Colors umber-brown and ochraceous-white, the former
predominating above, the latter prevailing below. Upper parts spotted
with whitish; lower parts transversely barred with brown on the breast
and sides, and sometimes on the abdomen. A white gular patch, and
jugular collar, with a brown band between them. Legs, crissum, anal
and femoral regions, always immaculate.
=A.= Primaries with broad regular bars of ochraceous-white on both
webs; primary coverts with large spots of the same.
Brown markings of the lower parts irregularly transverse, and
ragged. White spots on the upper parts nearly equal in extent to
the brown.
Wing, 6.15–6.40; tail, 2.90–3.60; culmen, .58–.62; tarsus,
1.50–1.80; middle toe, .65. _Hab._ Peru …
var. _grallaria_.[36]
Brown markings on the lower parts regularly transverse, and not
ragged. White spots on the upper parts much less than the brown in
extent.
Wing, 7.00–7.50; tail, 3.30–4.00; culmen, .70; tarsus,
1.70–1.85; middle toe, .85. Outer tail-feathers and inner webs
of primaries with the white much greater in amount than the
brown (sometimes continuous along outer webs of the latter).
_Hab._ Southern South America (Chile, Buenos Ayres, Paraguay,
etc.) …
var. _cunicularia_.[37]
Wing, 6.40–7.00; tail, 3.00–3.30; culmen, .50–.60; tarsus,
1.50–1.70; middle toe, .80. Outer tail-feathers and inner webs
of the primaries with the white less in extent than the brown
(never continuous along outer webs of the primaries). _Hab._
Middle America, and Western Province of North America …
var. _hypogæa_.
=B.= Primaries without broad or regular bars of whitish on either
web; primary coverts plain brown.
Brown markings on the lower parts regularly transverse, and equal
in extent to the white. White spots on the upper parts very small,
reduced to mere specks on the dorsal region.
Wing, 6.40; tail, 3.40; culmen, .60; tarsus, 1.82; middle toe,
.85. Outer tail-feathers and inner webs of the primaries with
the light (ochraceous) bars only about one fourth as wide as the
brown (disappearing on the inner quills). _Hab._ Guadeloupe …
var. _guadeloupensis_.[38]
Spheotyto cunicularia, var. hypogæa, BONAP.