70 Dr. A. Hall on the Mammals and Birds 



blackish brown — the streaks fading on the lower part of the neck \ 

 dorsal region, rump, scapulars, (except the outer vanes of the outer 

 feathers which are white tipped with black,) and greater wing, 

 coverts, coloured like the head ; inner vanes of the primaries and 

 secondaries, light brown, with umber brown bars ; outer vanes of 

 the primaries ferruginous next the shaft, with white edges, 

 and barred like the inner vanes; outer vanes of the secondaries, 

 mottled and barred with brown, gray, and white ; tail dark 

 brown, with 7 or 8 bars of a reddish brown ; the bars being in- 

 distinct on the distal end, which is also mottled with brown. 



Ventral aspect. Above and below the black streak on the 

 throat, white prevails ; breast and belly, gray white, with light 

 brown bars, and blackish brown streaks ; these streaks are very 

 large on the breast, and become narrower towards the vent ; vent 

 feathers white ; tail coverts generally white, with indications of 

 brown bars; the lateral feathers white and very silky; wing 

 coverts present the same characters ; quills slate colour, with gray 

 bars; femorals and tarsals silky, 4 or 5 inches long, and 

 slightly tipped with rufous superiorly ; toes feathered only to the 

 last joint; ears composed of 8 to 10 feathers coloured like those 

 on the head. 



4th primary about a line longer than 3rd ; 3rd equal to 5th and 

 2d to 6th ; 1st primary not longer than the secondaries. " Outer 

 and inner vanes of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th primaries notched." 5th 

 notched on the outer vane. The barbs of the outer vanes of 1st 

 and 2d primaries revolute. Claws long, much curved ; inner edge 

 of the middle toe, salient, and very sharp, outer toe versatile. 

 Hind toe very short, shorter than the outer one. Middle toe lon- 

 gest. Length 13 inches; alar breadth 20 inches. I must observe 

 that the colours of this bird are much blended with one another, 

 and render the description of it no easy task. The female has a 

 prevailing reddish brown tint, streaked and barred with ash and 

 brown; face whitish; breast and belly whitish, with bars and 

 streaks of black and brown ; femorals and tarsals pale brown j 

 irides yellow, bill and claws greyish horn color. She lays 4 to 

 6 eggs, which are white and nearly round. The young bird is 

 tawny red, with narrow dark spots along the shafts of the feather. 

 Suh'genus Bubo. 



Sub-gen. char. Beak strongly inclined from its base, nostrils 

 large, concealed; ears of moderate size. Facial disk tolerably dis- 

 tinct. 



