RAPTORES. 65 



mens thus coloured as a distinct species under the name of 

 Striw Cyclops, but I now beUeve them to be one of the states 

 of phimage of the present bird, which ornithologists are in- 

 clined to consider was first described by Stephens under the 

 name of 8. Novce-HoUandice. I may remark that, out of the 

 numerous examples I killed in South Australia in the month 

 of June, I did not meet with one in the white plumage. 

 Those who are desirous of making themselves acquainted with 

 the differences in these nearly allied species of Owls will do 

 well to consult the plates of the different species in the folio 

 edition, which will render them more readily perceptible than 

 the most lucid description. 



The Strix Novcb Hollandicd is almost a third smaller than 

 the 8. castanops, and as the sexes of both species bear a 

 relative proportion in size, the male of the one is about equal 

 to the female of the other. The white spottings of the upper 

 surface of the former are larger than those of the latter, and 

 the surrounding patches of dark brown and buff are not so 

 deep, giving the whole of that part of the bird a more marbled 

 or speckled appearance. 



General coloiu- pale buff ; the upper part of the head, the 

 back, and the wings variegated with dark brown, and sparingly 

 dotted with white ; under surface paler, with a few brown 

 spots ; tail buff, undulated with a brown facia ; facial disk 

 purplish, but margined with deep brown spots ; bill pale horn- 

 colour ; toes yellow. 



Sp. 30. STRIX TENEBRICOSUS, Gould. 



Sooty Owl. 



Strix tenehricosus, Gould, in Proc. of Zool. Soc, part xiii. p. 80. 

 Megastrix tenehricosa, Kaup, Monog. Strig. in Jard. Cont. to Orn., 

 1852, p. 120. 



Strix tenebricosus, Gould, Birds of Australia, fol. vol. i. pi. 30. 



Although I cannot possibly affirm that such is the case, I 



