KixGSLEY. — On Sceloglaux albifacies. 191 



and in the South it is extremely rare." We are therefore 

 fortunate in having secured it for our Museum. Too often in 

 the past anything a httle uncommon has, as a rule, been sent 

 away to enrich other museums, to the disparagement of our 

 collection ; but I trust that the public generally will in future 

 endeavour to preserve any future acquisitions for our institu- 

 tion. 



For the benefit of those who may not have had an oppor- 

 tunity of reading up the subject of Scclorjlaux albifacies, 1 

 give a few notes collected from Buller's work. 



The bird was first described by Mr. J. R. Gray, in the "Voyage 

 of the ' Erebus' and ' Terror,' " under the name of Athene albi- 

 facies. Dr. Kaup afterwtirds made it the type of the genus 

 Sceloglaux, of which it still remains the sole representative. 

 Gould points out that its prominent bill, swollen nostrils, 

 and small head, are characters as much accipitrine as strigine, 

 and that its short and feeble wings indicate that its powers of 

 flight are limited, while its lengthened tarsi and shortened 

 toes w^ould appear to have been given to afford a compensating 

 increase of facility of progression over the ground. 



There is no doubt that in former times the bird was more 

 plentiful, especially when New Zealand w'as overrun with a 

 frugivorous rat, which was its chief food ; but, with the dis- 

 appearance of the natural food, as a matter of course the bird 

 would either be compelled to find other subsistence or perish. 



There are three specimens in the British Museum, two in 

 Wellington, two in Christchurch, one in Dunedin, and now 

 one in Nelson. 



We are indebted to Mr. W. W. Smith, of Ashburton, for 

 nearly all the knowledge we possess of these interesting birds. 

 When he lived near Timaru he discovered indications of them 

 in crevices among some rocks, and by means of smoke forced 

 them out and captured several. Some he kept in captivity to 

 study their habits, and some specimens he forwarded to Sir 

 Walter BuUer. Mr. Smith succeeded in getting them to pair 

 and deposit eggs, and made sundry interesting notes of their 

 habits. They are not so active as the niorepork in seizing 

 their prey. The male bird (as all males should be) is ver\- 

 attentive to the wants of the female, keeping guard over her 

 during incubation and receiving food and carrying it to her. 



They deposit two eggs. Their food, judging from tlie com- 

 position of the pellets or castings, consists principally of beetles 

 and other large insects. 



The name " laughing owl'' is applied from the sound they 

 make, which is a kind of ridiculous laugh in a descending 

 scale. 



