RAPTORES. 73 



Genus SPILOGLAUX, Kaup. 



The members of this form are very diminutive when 

 compared with those forming the genus Hieracoglaux ; they 

 are all clothed in a thick fluffy kind of plumage, in which 

 respect they differ from their allies, the true Athencs. They 

 are both diurnal and nocturnal in their habits, but fly less by 

 day than they do by night. I commence with the largest 

 species of the genus, S. marmoratus, which has not yet been 

 figured either in the folio edition of the ' Birds of Australia ' 

 or in the ' Supplement.' 



Sp. 35. SPILOGLAUX MARMORATUS. 



Athene marmorata, Gould, in Proc. of Zool. Soc, part xiv. p. 18. 

 Spiloglaux marmoratus, Kaup, Monog. Strig. in Jard. Cont. to Orn., 

 1852, p. 108. 



All the upper surface, wings, and tail dark brown, 

 obscurely spotted with white round the back of the neck, on 

 the wing-coverts and scapularies ; inner webs of the primaries 

 at their base, and the inner webs of the lateral tail-feathers, 

 crossed by bands, which are buff next the shaft, and white 

 towards the extremity of the webs ; face and chin whitish ; 

 under surface dark brown, blotched with white and sandy 

 brown ; legs and thighs fawn-colour ; bill horn-colour ; feet 

 yellow. 



Total length, 14 inches ; bill, 1-|- ; wing, 9i ; tail, 6 ; tarsi, 2. 



This bird so far exceeds in size the S. maculatus that, not- 

 withstanding the resemblance in its markings, I have no doubt 

 of its being a distinct species. Besides those in my own, there 

 are specimens of the >S'. marmoratus in the national collection ; 

 all of which have been sent from South Australia. 



