AN AUSTRALIAN BIRD BOOK. 87 



180 Masked Owl, /S. novae-hollandiae, A. 



Stat. r. forests, rocky 14 

 Pale buff; head, back wings marked dark-brown, few 

 white spots; under paler, few brown spots; disc pur- 

 plish-white, edged with deep-brown spots; f., larger. 

 Mice, rats. 



181 Chestnut-faced Owl, 8. castanops, N.S.W., V., S.A., 



T. Stat. c. brushes, swamps; f., 17; m., 14.5 



Disc deep-che«tnut edged black; upper rufous-brown 

 marked dark-brown; few small spots on head, shoul- 

 ders; under deep sandy-brown with blackish spots; f., 

 larger. Mice, rats. 

 183 Sooty Owl, Dusky Barn Owl, S. tenebricosa, N.G., E.A. 



Stat. v.r. dense brushes; f., 16; m., 13.5 

 Disc sooty-gray deeper round eyes; upper brownish-black 

 finely spotted white; under brownish-black washed 

 buff, fainter spots; legs mottled brown, white; f., 

 larger. Mice, rats. 

 183 Grass Owl, S. Candida, India, Formosa, China, Philip- 

 pines to E.A. Stat. v.r. grass 14 

 Disc white or tinged pale-pink; brownish spot before eye; 

 edge disc dark-brown above, buff below; upper dark- 

 brown finely spotted white; under white tinged orange- 

 bufC with scattered brown spots; tail whitish barred 

 brown; legs long; f., sim. 



since they are not capable of much movement, the bird turns its 

 head from side to side. Though mainly nocturnal, Owls are 

 sometimes seen hunting for their prey by day. As they feed 

 mostly on mice, rats, and insects, they are very valuable birds. 

 The feathers are very soft, with a weak central axis, so that no 

 sound is made when flying. They are thus able to approach 

 their prey without giving warning. The Powerful Owl well 

 deserves its name, as it possesses great strength, and is a for- 

 midable enemy if wounded. However, Owls are, fortunately, 

 seldom shot at. 



Like Hawks, Owls catch their prey with and carry it in their 

 feet, unless the feet are required for climbing. One peculiarity 

 of the feet is that the bird can reverse one toe, so that it can have 

 three toes in front and one behind, like most birds, or two in 

 front and two behind, like Parrots and Cuckoos. 



Although not so strong of flight as the Diurnal Birds of Prey 

 {e.g., Hawks), Owls have managed to spread throughout the 

 world, so that they are found even in New Zealand. The dif- 

 ferent kinds are not easily separated, so most people are satis- 

 fied when they have classed a bird as an Owl, though you will 

 probably want to divide them into two groups — the Owls 

 Proper and the Barn Owls. 



While Australia possesses representatives of nearly all the 

 important widely-spread families of birds this favored land also 



