296 STRIGIDJE. 



My conclusion with regard to the Barn-Owls is, that there is one 

 dominant type which prevails generally over the continents of the 

 Old and Xe"w AVorlds, being darker or hghter according to different 

 localities, but possessing no distinctive specific characters. Insular 

 birds vary, but cannot be specifically distinguished, as they can 

 always be approached by continental specimens in a large series. 

 Thus S. furcata, of Jamaica, appears different, but is scarcely to be 

 distinguished from Bogota specimens, which possess a white tail also. 

 S. insuhi-is, of the Cape-Verd Islands, is scarcely to be separated 

 from some Senegambian skins. S. cjlaucops is not very different from 

 Yeraguan Barn-Owls ; and these are again approached by Malayan 

 specimens. Of these two extreme forms, S. insidaris and S. glaucops, 

 an illustration is given (PL XIY.). I give detailed descriptions and 

 measurements of a few of the most striking forms of Barn -Owl which 

 have been specifically separated by different authors ; and in the list 

 of specimens I have divided them under the headings by which they 

 have become known to system atists. 



a. Strix furcata. 



Adult male. Above pale orange-buff, the feathers coarsely vermicu- 

 lated at the tips with greyish brown, the markings more spot-Like just 

 before the terminal white longitudinal spot ; crown of head richer and 

 more of a golden orange, and more spotted than the back, especially 

 on the sides of the neck, which shade off into pure white; wing-coverts 

 orange-buff like the back, the least series minutely spotted, the 

 median and greater coverts vermiculated near the tip with grey, dis- 

 appearing on the primary-coverts, which have only a few scattered 

 mottlings, some of the lesser coverts externally inclining to white 

 like the edge of the wing ; quills pure white, the outer primaries 

 slightly shaded with orange-buff, and coarsely vermiculated with 

 ashy brown at the tips, as also the secondaries, some of which have 

 a few scanty vermiculations on the outer web, the innermost orange- 

 buff, vermiculated with grey like the back ; tail pure white ; facial 

 disk white, with a patch of rufous feathers in front of the eye ; ruff' 

 composed of orange-buff' plumes, inclining to white on the lower part, 

 a few of the upper feathers with tiny spots of brown ; entire under 

 surface pure white, with the remains of a few tiny spots on the flanks. 

 Total length 14-5 inches,wing 13-1, tail 5-8, tarsus 2-95,middle toel-6. 



Adult female. Darker than the male, and more profusely mottled 

 with grey on the upper sm-face ; wings externally orange-buff, with 

 scattered dots of black on the outer web, and indications of three 

 blackish bars on the inner one, the ends of the feathers very coarsely 

 vermiculated, the outermost of the secondaries inclining to white ; 

 tail white, with remains of three imperfect bands and tiny dots on 

 most of the feathers ; underneath white, tinged with orange-buff on 

 the chest and flanks, both of which, as well as the under wing-coverts, 

 are spotted with ashy brown. Total length 14-5 inches, wing 13-4, 

 tail 5 2, tarsus 2-95, middle toe 1-65. 



06s. It is evident that the unspotted wing and pure white tail are 

 gradually acquired by the disappearance of the bars and vermiculations. 



