460 ASIO OTUS. 



Young. — When completely fledged, the young are coloured 

 like their parents, but with the tints much deeper, and the dark 

 markings broader. The iris is orange ; the bill brownish-grey, 

 at the tip greyish-yellow; the claws greyish-brown. The 

 facial disks are yellowish-brown ; the bars on the wings and 

 tail are more strongly marked, and the reddish-yellow on the 

 six outer quills is of a richer tint. 



Progress toward Maturity. — After the first moult the dark 

 markings are still considerably broader than in the adult, and 

 the lower parts more barred. In old individuals, the lower 

 parts are pure buff, with narrow longitudinal spots only, the 

 transverse bars having disappeared. 



