28 BIBOXID.E. 



p. 110; Gniy, Hand-l. B. i. \\ 43; aumey, P. Z. S. 1871, p. 14«; 



Schl. Revue Accipitr. p. 4 ; Sharpe, ed. Laijard, B. S. Afr. p. 70. 

 Bubo dilloni. Prevost et Des Mvrs, liev. Zoul. 1846, p. 242 ; iid. in 



Lefehrr. Vol/. Abyss. Zool. p. 7;5, pi. 3. 

 Bubo maximus, var. capeiisis, Kaup, Ms, 1848, p. 770. 

 Nisuella dilloni, Bp. Rev. et Mm/, de Zoul. 1854, p. 542. 

 Bubo ascalabotes, Licht. Nomencl. Av. p. 7. 

 Bubo ascalaphus, Fimch, Tr. Z. S. vii. p. 210. 



Not quite adult (type of species). Above brown, everywhere strongly 

 mottled with orange-tawny, tlic feathers of the head and neck 

 brown, with large spots of tawny colour on each web of the feather, 

 larger and forming bauds on those of the hind neck, the tawny 

 colour predominating on this portion of the upper surface ; back 

 brown, mottled with irregular markings of tawny, which forms largo 

 spots and bars on the scapulars, more distinct ou the outer webs of 

 these feathers, which are also tipped with whitish ; least wing- 

 coverts almost entirely uniform brown, with only a few small 

 rounded spots of tawny buff, the median series mottled with larger 

 spots of the same, inclining to white on the outer web of some of 

 these coverts, the greater series brown hke the secondary quills, and, 

 as in the latter, barred with rows of tawny buff markings, most 

 regular in appearance but difficult to describe, these tawny markings 

 not being actually bars, but enclosing a more or less dissolving spot 

 of brown, and giving a generally barred appearance to the wing ; the 

 primary coverts more entirely brown, the cross markings, which are 

 like those on the secondaries, very indistinct ; the primaries brown, 

 regularlv barred across with tawny buff, these cross bars only slightly 

 obscured by remains of brown mottling, increasing towards the tips 

 of these quills, which are almost entirely brown ; lower back, rump, 

 and upper tail-coverts alternately barred with brown and tawny buff 

 in regular succession ; tail brown, slightly tipped with fulvous and 

 crossed with seven other bands of buff on the centre feathers, these 

 bands being exactly of the same character as those on the wings, 

 enclosing brown mottlings, the outer feathers banded with dark 

 brown and duU tawny in about equal proportions, the light inter- 

 spaces inclining to white on the outermost rectrix, especially near 

 the base ; lores and feathers in front of the eye white, the shafts 

 black near the tip and elongated into hair-like bristles ; feathers 

 under the eye whitish ; sides of the face dull tawny, shading into 

 dark brown at their tips, the ear-coverts broadly brown on their 

 hinder margin ; above the eye a small patch of blackish feathers, 

 reaching to the base of the ear-tufts, which are black, spotted with 

 tawny buff on the inner margin ; behind the ear-coverts runs a 

 tolerably conspicuous ruff of bright tawny buff feathers, with 

 brown bases and indistinct cross bars of the same ; chin white, as 

 also the fore neck, separated from each other by a bar across the 

 throat, consisting of tawny feathers mesially streaked with brown ; 

 crop-patch composed of fluffy dull white feathers, inconspicuously 

 barred with dull brown ; rest of under surface tawny buff, barred 

 across with brown, the light portions of the feather, however, being 



