16. SYKNIUM. 



249 



rest of the upper surface, the centres of the feathers only being 

 brown wdth lateral margins of the same colour, causing a somewhat 

 streaked appearance ; facial aspect whitish, the plumes in front of 

 the eye pure white, the lores terminating in blackish bristles ; ear- 

 coverts slightly mottled with a few cross markings of brown ; facial 

 ruff blackish brown, the feathers tipped with silvery whito, the 

 plumes of the upper part also notched with the latter colour ; chin 

 riilbus, with black streaks down the centre of the feathers ; the ruff 

 below the chin whitish, the feathers also having a broad mesial streak 

 of brown ; fore neck white ; rest of under surface white, broadly 

 streaked with blackish brown down the centre of the feathers, the 

 breast-feathers having also some zizgag lateral bars of brown, the 

 central streaks also not continuous to the base of the plumes, and 

 much paler on tho abdomen and under tail-coverts ; leg-feathers 

 white, spotted and minutely barred with brown ; under wing-coverts 

 and margin of wing white, streaked with dark brown, the lower 

 series ashy brown, whitish at base, resembling the inner lining of 

 wing, which is ashy brown, barred on the inner web and spotted on 

 the outer with yellowish white, the secondaries barred right across ; 

 bill whitish horn-colour ; claws horny white at base, darker towards 

 the tip; iris blue-black. Total length 19 inches, wing 12-1, tail 8, 

 tarsus 2-1. 



Adult female (rufous phase). Similar in character and markings 

 to the grey phase of plumage, but ferruginous instead of grey, the 

 face being also washed witli ferruginous. Total length 19-5 inches, 

 wing 12, tail 9, tarsus 2-1. 



Adidt nude (rufous phase). Total length 18-5 inches, wing H'l, 

 tail 7, tarsus 1-95. 



Foot of S^rniu7ii aluco, to show extent of feathering on toes. 



Ohs. The rufous and grey plumages of the Tawny Owl are not 

 dependent upon age or sex ; but the idea has been entertained by some 

 ornithologists that the rufous birds were the young and the grey 

 ones the old. As a rule, the nestlings have all red tails ; but the Mu- 

 seum possesses a young bird still with remains of down on it, but 

 yet entirely in the grey phase of plumage. 



