26 Mr. R. Swinhoe on the Ornithology 



is markedly smaller than birds similarly coloured received from 

 Foochow. The native name is Ning-long-chay. I find that 

 the bird procured, which I forward for Mr. Sclater's examination, 

 is a mature specimen ; and it therefore appears that either this 

 species has a second year's moult, when it loses all the yellowish 

 bands and markings, or that I have confounded two species 

 under one denomination. 



I extract the notes in my journal made on the fresh mature 

 male above mentioned : — Bill greenish or dusky yellow. Iris clear 

 golden king's yellow. Legs chrome-yellow, with stiff bristles ; 

 claws pale yellowish at the base and brown towards the tips. 

 Crura of furculum only ossified for about one-half of their length, 

 and joined by a cartilaginous arch. Tibial tendons very rigid. 

 Testicles not large, somewhat kidney-shaped, and yellowish. 

 Proventriculus -§ in. across; gizzard round and flattened, flanked 

 on each side with a strong radiating muscle, about If in. in 

 diameter, and lined inside with a fixed rugose cuticle. Intestines 

 16 inches long : cseca situate about ] \ in. from anus ; right caecum 

 2f, left 3 in. in length, both enlarging at their ends into black, 

 semitransparent bulbs. 



8. Otus brachyotus (Gm.). Cantonese, " Maou taou ying^' 

 (Cat's-head Hawk). 



This tawny Owl, with black spots and well-defined facial disc, 

 was also brought alive to me in Canton. It is a species I have 

 never before met with in China. Length 14^ in. ; wing 18 in. from 

 curvature ; tail 6. Bill black, with a pale tip. Iris bright golden 

 yellow. Legs and feet covered with ochreous feathers, with the 

 ends of the toes naked and of a pale blackish flesh-colour; claws 

 sharp and blackish brown. Tibial tendons very rigid. Testicles 

 like two small white eggs, placed with their ends pointiug in dif- 

 ferent directions. Proventriculus 1 in. in length by ^ in breadth, 

 granulated, and contracting somewhat at the mouth of the gizzard, 

 which is roundish, about 1 in. in diameter, soft and flabby, lined 

 with a fixed network-furrowed cuticle. The stomach contained a 

 thick yellow juice and a few Jish-bones. Intestines 18| in. long : 

 caeca about 1 in. from anus ; left caecum 2^, right 2| in. in length, 

 the first bulging much more at the end than the second. 



