13. GLAUCIDIUM. 213 



brown markiijg.s a little distance from tlie edye of the wing ; under 

 surface of wing dull lirown, the inner web barred with white, the 

 bases almost entirely whitish ; biU pale greenish yellow ; toes the 

 same, but more yellow ; irides bright pale yellow. Total length 

 7 inches, wing 3-45, tail 2-8, tarsus U-8. 



Rufous phase. Similar to the grey phase in character of markings, 

 but of a dark brown colour, with all the cross markings ochraceous ; 

 under surface of body white, with all tlie terminal spots ochraceous 

 as well as the bars on the sides of the body ; bands on tail eight, 

 not counting the one at the tips of the feathers. 



Young. Xearly uniform above, the head with a few ochraceous 

 spots and streaks on the crown ; collar round the neck and nape- 

 patches of black as in adult ; back brown, margined with rufous 

 brown ; wing-covci'ts blackish, with ochraceous margins, the greater 

 series with notches of ochraceous ; scapulars with distinct white 

 spots on the outer webs ; primary-coverts uniform blackish ; (juills 

 blackish externally, notched with deep ochre, these bars larger and 

 more Like bars on the secondaries ; tail black, with seven ochraceous 

 bands ; a small eyebrow whitish ; ear-coverts dark brown, banded 

 with ochraceous ; chin, cheeks, and fore neck white, with a band of 

 rufous brown across the throat ; remainder of under surface white, 

 with longitudinal brown markings at the tips of the feathers ; the 

 sides of the breast nearly uniform, with a few ochraceous spots. 



Ohs. The type of ilr. Gould's Athene minutilhi is now before me, 

 and I am fain to confess that it seems to me to be only the male of 

 the ordinary G. brodiei. It is a young bird, with nearly uniform 

 upper surface, and measures as follows — total length 5-8 inches, 

 wing 3-4. tail 24, tarsus 0-7o. The Museum contains other spe- 

 cimens of this small bird, evidently the same species, and exhibiting 

 both rufous and grey phases. The follo'wing are the measure- 

 ments : — 



Total 



length. Wing. Tail. Tarsus, 

 in. in. in. in. 



(1. Ad. Himalayas 5-5 ;3-3 2-45 0'75 



b. Ad. Himalayas G 3-4 2 5 07 



c. Ad. Darjiliug 6 3-4 2-45 0-8 



(I. Ad. Nepal (Hochjson) 5-8 3-2 2-4 07 



To compare with the above I add the tUmeusions of three Xepa- 

 Icse specimens of the larger bird, which I consider to be the female. 

 It is the true GJaucidium brodiei of Gould. 



Total 



length. Wing. Tail. Tarsus, 



in. in. in. m. 



<(. Ad. Nepal {Hodgson) 7 3-8 2 7o 075 



h. Ad. Nepal (Ilodc/son) 0-5 3-6 2(5 07 



r. Ad. Nepal (Hodgson) 7 3-8 27 7 



i\J"ter allowance has been made for the difficulty of measuring 

 these small Owls, I cannot see any reason for supposing (hut those 



