70 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



Cobourg Peninsula. That this powerful Owl has a very ex- 

 tensive range over that part of the country is probable, as it 

 also is that the numerous Vampires {Pteroptis funeretis) which 

 suspend themselves from the trees along the north coast are 

 not free from its attacks. 



A single specimen was obtained at Port Essington by 

 Gilbert, who shot it in a thicket amidst the swamps in the 

 neighbourhood of the settlement. It is a large species, nearly 

 equalling in size the llieracoglaux strenuus, from which how- 

 ever it is at once distinguished by the more rufous tint of its 

 plumage and by the more numerous and narrower barring of 

 the breast. No other specimen was procured during Gilbert's 

 residence in the colony, neither have the collections transmitted 

 from that locality since his untimely death furnished us with 

 additional examples. 



Pacial disk dark brown ; all the upper surface dark brown, 

 crossed by numerous narrow bars of reddish brown ; the tints 

 becoming paler and the barrings larger and more distinct on 

 the lower part of the body, wings, and tail ; all the under sur- 

 face sandy red, crossed by numerous bars of reddish brown ; 

 the feathers of the throat with a line of brown down the 

 centre ; vent, legs, and thighs of a paler tint, with the bars 

 more numerous but not so decided ; bill horn-colour ; cere, 

 eyelash, and feet yellow, the latter slightly clothed with feathers; 

 irides light yellow. 



Total length, 20 inches; bill, If; wing, 13^; tail, 3^; 

 tarsi, 2^. 



It is not to be expected that Gilbert, almost unaided by any 

 one, either settler or native, could make himself acquainted 

 with all the birds of a primitive country like the Cobourg 

 Peninsula ; when that portion of Australia becomes better 

 known, much additional information respecting species already 

 characterized as well as many novelties will doubtless be 

 acquired. 



