90 JiriiOMD.K. 



white, with tiny brown vermiculations, the outer webs dark brown 

 at tip and barred with the same on the basal portion, which is sandy 

 buff ; leathers round the eye clear rufous, extending to the base of 

 the ear-tufts ; ear-coverts greyish, sliaded with rufous and indistinctly 

 barred across with dark brown, the hinder ear-coverts tipped with 

 black, and resembling the ruff, which is ochraceous buff tipped Avith 

 black, tliese tips being less distinct on the gular feathers, which are 

 wliitish, crossed ys'iih fine linear bars of dark brown ; sides of neck 

 grej-ish white, more or less washed with rufous and covered with 

 wavjf vermiculations of dark brown ; fore neck inclining to white ; 

 rest of under surface ashj^ white, with broad central black markings 

 on the chest-feathers, much narrower on the abdomen, all the plumes 

 of the lower surface crossed with wavy bars of dull brown, wider on 

 the abdomen and flanks, the under tail-coverts with scarcely any 

 cross bars left ; thighs bright orange tawny, the tarsal plumes 

 wliitish, with dark brown cross bars ; under wing-coverts fulvous, 

 the edge of the wing whitish, the adjacent feathers dark brown, tlie 

 lowest series ashy brown, yellowish at base, resembling the inner 

 lining of the quills, which are ashy brown below, barred with yel- 

 lowish buff on the inner web ; upper wing-coverts dark brown like 

 the back, the median ones very broadly centred with black, the 

 greater ones greyish at their tips, except on the outermost, which 

 are fulvous at the ends, the spurious quills externally notched with 

 buff; primary coverts sandy brown, with very minute vermicula- 

 tions of brown and crossed with bars of dark brown ; quills dark 

 brown, barred with ashy brown on the inner web, these light bars 

 represented by sandy buff ones on the outer webs, all freckled with 

 blackish, excepting on the primaries, which are barred externally 

 with sandy buff; tail-feathers dark brown, very distinctly banded 

 with sandy buff, more or less vermiculated with brown, the bars 

 seven on the centre feathers, including the terminal one ; " bill pale 

 flesh-grey, with a pale yellowish rim to the mandibles ; iris golden 

 burnt sienna, but so narrow that this colour is seldom visible, the im- 

 mense pupil filling up all the space between the lids ; skin round eye 

 madder-brown ; toes naked, light flesh-colour; claws light brownish 

 grey, with blackish tips" (Swinhoe). Total length 8-5 inches, wing 

 6-9, tail 3-G, tarsus 1-5. (AIus. M. Sivinhoe.) 



Ohs. But for Mr. Swinhoe's remark as to the difference in the 

 colour of the eye, I should have been content to unite this bird to 

 S. elec/ans. The yeUow tibia is by no means a character of the 

 species, as it exists in all the little Owls of this group ; and S. cvy- 

 iJirocampa further resembles S. elegans in the extent of feathering on 

 the foot, as well as in the complete barring of the tail. It depends 

 for its separation, therefore, on its rufous face and differently coloured 

 eye ; but it is by no means a very distinct bird. 



Hob. China : Canton, South Fokien. 

 a. Ad. st. North China. Purchased. 



