Avifauna of New Caledonia. 501 



stone or lump of earth, on which it alights to tear in pieces 

 and devour its prey. 



We give the measurements of a pair we skinned — ^ , length 

 22", wing 15" 9"', tail 9" 9"', tarse 3" 9"'; ?, length 23", 

 wing 16" 6"', tail 10" 6"', tarse 4". Bill bluish, tip black ; 

 legs and feet bright yellow ; iris light yellow. Has a loud 

 querulous cry. 



This is the bird given in M. Marie's list as C. maillardi ; 

 but that species is a native of the Comoro Islands, where we 

 (E. L. L.) have shot it. 



8. Strix delicatula, Gould. 



This Australian White Owl is common and generally dis- 

 tributed throughout the island, feeding on Coleoptera, rats, 

 mice, and nocturnal lizards (Geckotidse), of which there are 

 many of large size in the forests. The poor bird has a hard 

 time of it Avith the '^ colon " (settler), who shoots it whenever 

 he has a chance, averring that it kills his chickens and 

 pigeons by night. It is in vain we assure him he is killing 

 his best friend ; in vain we ask him to give us one instance 

 in which he can vouch, from personal experience, that the 

 poor White Owl has killed a fowl ! It is enough that some 

 one has said he has heard they do so ! Their doom is passed, 

 and they die ! 



One would, however, expect more wisdom in our " rulers 

 and governors ; "" but so far from this being the case, although 

 we pointed out to them what birds devoured the locusts, they 

 have, in a recent arrete (ordonnance) , prohibited the shooting 

 of all the little birds that would run away from a locust if 

 they happened to see one in their own home, the forest 

 (which they rarely, if ever, do), and have permitted the shooting 

 of hawks, ducks, and marsh-fowl that frequent the places 

 where the locusts congregate, to feed on the various grasses, 

 and devour them by hundreds. The ordinance is expressly 

 passed to protect the birds that kill the locusts ! ! 



We have specimens of the White Owl killed in Tanna, and 

 have traced it in other islands of the New Hebrides ; it is also 

 common in Fiji and Samoa. 



SER. IV. — VOL. VI. 2 m 



