.VESTS AXP EuGS 01- AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



51 



Observations. — It is questionable wlietlier or not the Uhestnut-faced 

 Owl is not restricted to Tasmania only, where, in a more powerful and 

 dai-ker coloured species, it represents the Masked <Jwl of liu- mainland. 



Mr. A. E. Brent tells me that a pair of Chestnut-faced Owls used to 

 breed in one of the deep, dark gulhes of Moimt Franklin {>.). Several 

 seasons, about the New Year, he noticed fully-fledgod young always 

 perched in a particular part of the scnib. 



The eggs of this splendid Owl, or the more Continental vainety, would 

 be a great acquisition to some of our oological collections. All Australian 

 Owls' eggs are scarce, and I am sadly disappointed that my chapter of 

 these interesting birds is so weak by reason of the eggs of many of tlu' 

 species being .still " uudescribed. 



By way of a reminder to those persons whose superstitions prompt 

 them to kill Owls wherever they appear, I should like to mention that all 

 these birds, as useful vemiin destroyers, are pei-petually protected in 

 Victoria, and partially in Queensland and South AustraUa. It is to Ix' 

 hoped that the other States will shortly follow suit in this direction, if 

 only to keep in check the periodical plagues of mice which oven-un 

 the coimtrv. 



41. — Strix fla.mme.v (sub-species) ijklicatul.\, Gould. — (31) 



LESSER MASKED OWL. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol., vol. i., pi. 31. 



Reftrence.— Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. ii., p, 297. 



Previous Description of Eggs. — North : .\ustn. Mus. Cat., p. 24 (i88<j). 



Geographical Distribution. — Whole of Australia, also New Guinea. 



Nest. — On the wood-dust within a hole or hollow spouted limb of a 

 tree, usually near a water-course. 



E(/f/s. — Clutch, three to six ; oval in shape ; texture coarse ; surface 

 faint trace of gloss and finely pitted ; colour, wMte. Dimensions in 

 inches of odd examples: (1) l-63"x 1-23, (2) 1-73 x 1-21. 



Ohstrvations. — This beautiful and delicately-coloui'ed Owl is widely 

 distributed over the whole of Australia, and may be often heard at night 

 " hootiDg ' from the entrance of the hole in some large gum-tree bordeiing 

 a river. I fancy they remain within the hollows during the daytime. 

 A specimen was seen roosting among the rocks at the Wenibee Gorge. 



It would need much time to accm'ately describe its beautiful plumage ; 

 but it suffices to say generally that its coat is a light gi-eyish-brown 

 tinged with yellow, delicately pencilled with .spots of brownish-black and 

 white ; the imder parts are wliite, sparinglv marked with brownish dots. 

 The facial discs are also white, margined with buff. Length, 14 inches; 

 wing, 11 inches; tail, 4 inches. 



The eggs of the Delicate Owl in my collection were presented to me 

 by Dr. W. Macgillivray, and were procured on his father's station in the 



