242 



nUBONID^ 



A8T0 



DeHcripLion. A(hdL male. — General colour aljove, inolndinf^ the 

 winff-coverts, dark brown, with traces, especially on the wirif^-coverts, 

 of paler vermiculations ; wing-quills dark brown with very broad 

 bars of fulvous, the inner primaries and outer secondaries tipped 

 witii whitish ; tail-feathers pale fulvous witli five transverse bars 

 of brown ; in the central feathers the brown extends to the tip of 

 the feathers ; a ring of black round the eye, rest of the facial disc 

 fulvous-grey nuirked off by a darker line ; lower surface of the 

 body pale bi'own ; the lower breast and flanks mottled with white, 



Pia. 82. — Asio capcnsis. x 



the thighs, tarsi, and under tail-coverts pale fulvous and unspotted ; 

 the feathering of the tarsus extends to the basal joint of the toes 

 and a line of bristles runs along the middle of these nearly to the 

 claws. 



Iris dark hazel ; bill, toes and claws black and slaty-brown. 



Length 14-75 ; wing 12'0 ; tail 65 ; tarsus 240 ; culmen OGO. 



The sexes resemble one another in si/e and plumage. 



Dlalribiition. — The Marsh Owl has a curious distribution, it is 

 found in South Africa northwards to Angola on the west, and to 

 British east Africa on tlie east ; it reappears in Morocco and is 



