1136 ON NEW OR RARE VERTEBRATES FROM THE HERBERT RIVER, 



Breast spotted. 



Head uniform, brown. 



Belly chestnut- brown, densely spotted. 



Adult males — head and all the upper surface, including wing and 

 tail-coverts, deep smoky brown ; uniform or tending to coffee-brown 

 on the hind neck and scapulars — the latter with a large white spot on 

 each outer web and frequently a smaller one on the inner. One 

 or two small buffy spots on each side of the hind neck. Primary 

 coverts dark brown. Quills dark brown washed with rufous on 

 the inner edge as far as the notch, and imperfectly barred on the 

 inner web with more or less distinct and elongated spots not 

 reaching the edges. Inner secondaries with a series of white or 

 buff spots on the inner webs, outer secondaries not or very 

 indistinctly barred with buff on the outer web. Forehead grey ; 

 loral pencils whitish with black shafts and tips. Fore part of 

 cheeks and chin impure white ; ear-coverts brown ; a narrow eye- 

 brow and post-auricular are rufous ; middle of throat rufous, each 

 feather with a blackish central streak. Rest of the under surface 

 chestnut brown, uniform or fading to buffy white around and 

 before the vent. Each feather with a spot of white on either web, 

 the spots diminishing in size but remaining distinct as far forwards 

 as the hinder edge of the throat. Leg feathers short, fawn or 

 coffee-brown. Under tail-coverts similar in colour with a spot of 

 white on each web most distinct on those of the basals. Under 

 wing-coverts rufous, the outer mottled and streaked with dark 

 brown. Edge of the wing buffy white. Bill black to a very 

 variable extent from the base, lead-colour in life. Feet dusky, 

 white in life. Total length 11 inches, wing 8*25, tail 5, tarsus 

 1-25, middle toe 1-33. 



Hab. — Dark thick scrubs, a few miles from Cardwell. 



Two specimens. 



Ninox rufa, Gould. 



Three adult examples of this fine owl occur in the collection. 

 It is difficult to conceive its identity with N. strenua, Gld., and 

 until connecting forms present themselves it is more convenient 

 to name both in our lists. 



