A Specimen of Tyto (Heliodilus) soumagnii

Abstract

T•E MVSr•VM of Comparative ZoSlogy has recently acquired a specimen of Tyto soumagnii (Grandidler). This rare and interesting bird was taken in the neighborhood of Fito, forest of Sianaka, Madagascar, on February 15, 1934. As far as we can ascertain this is the only specimen in this country except for a skin in the Rothschild collection now in the American Museum of Natural History, New York. At first glance it is placed as a small Barn Owl and closer inspection reveals no character that warrants its retention as a monotyplc genus. Milne-Edwards and Grandidler in their great work 'Histolre de Madagas-car' observe as follows: "the periophthalmic discs are smaller than those of true Strix (• Tyro), and, instead of being in the shape of a heart, they are rounded, leaving the forehead more uncovered; their nasal feathers are relatively shorter. The wings do not extend beyond the tail; the third and fourth remiges are subequal and much longer than the first and fifth. In Strix, the second and third remiges are subequal and only very little longer than the first, the fourth is much shorter. The tarsi are proportionately a little shorter than those of the barn owl and the toes are stronger." It is also to be observed that the breast and back in this species are con-color and there is no tinge of gray on the back as there is in the majority of species in the genus Tyro. In this specimen the ruff on the upper breast, which is a continuation of the facial disc, is extended upward to the base of the lower mandible instead of forming a continuous band across the upper breast. This character is not stable among individuals of the same species in the genus. It is possible that this is an age character. Notes on the skeleton.-The vertebrae and trunk skeleton, together with the humeri and femora accompany the specimen and afford the basis for a few notes additional to those of Milne-Edwards and Grandidier. In the preliminary note by the former (C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, 85: p. 1282, 1877), it is shown that the skeleton agrees with that of the typical Barn Owls except in its relative proportions, while in the second and final account by Milne-Edwards and Grandidler (Hist. Phys., Nat. et Pol. de Madagascar, Vol. XII: pp. 112-118, pl. 36A-36C, 1879) additional particulars are given and the skeleton as well as the external aspect of the bird is figured. The wings are so reduced that they are shorter than the tail when folded, and proportionately broad, and this diminution is accompanied by a decrease in size of the sternum, while the feet are quite as large as in the Barn Owl of Europe, and the neck vertebrae equally long.