296 ISIIBONIII.K, 



Order STRIGES. 



Family BUBONID^. 



Sub-family BUBONIN^. 



oen-u-s 3sri3sro:^, iio,i,,sou. 

 Ninox boobook. 



BOO BOOK OWL. 



Strlx bonbook, Latli., Tnd. Oni., Suppl. IF., p. xv. (1700). 

 Athene boobook, Gould, Bds. Austr., fol. v., Vol. I., pi. :12 (ISlS). 

 Spiloglau.i' boobook, Gould, Handbk. Bds. Austr., Vol. I., p. 71 (1805). 



Ninox boobook, Sharpe, Oat. Bds. Brit. Mus., Vol. II., p. Hi.'^ (18" J); vl-, Hand-1. Bds., Vol. I., 

 p. 291 (1899). 



Adult male. — General eiJoiir abore r/ul/ broivi/ iritli a :<liylil dimky tinge, the senpnlars and the 

 apical portion of the upper iviug-corertu having ronndeil iihi/e iipots, those on the lesser wiug-coi-erts 

 and hind-neck smaller and less distinct and of a fulnms-irhite : the rump and upper tail-coverts, 

 shoming the remains of sjiot-like n-hilr bars, less ilislinct on the hitler : quills broien, handed across 

 aitli darker bron-n, and having rounded n'/iite spots on their inner webs, U'/iic/i ai-e larger on the 

 innermost seco7idaries ; the second, third and fourth primaries nith a spotdike n-hite mnrkiiig near the 

 centre of the outer nvb : tail-feathers bron-n barred with darker brinru, indistinctly margined armind the 

 tips ivilli bronmish-irliite, the paler broivn interspaces on the inner n-ebs oj all but the central pair 

 pass into ivhite ,^j)ot-like bars on the basal portion (f the feathers, n-hich is better defined on the outer- 

 most feather on either side ; orbital region and ear-coverts broim ; lores, forehead and line of feathers 

 extending over the anterior jiortion of the eye irhite, tlie firmer n-ith irell-detiued black shaft streaks ; 

 chin, cheeks and feathers partially encircling the ear-coverts vhiliih, the latter narrowly streaked nnth 

 fulvous, as are also the feathers on the crown of the head .■ feathers on the foreneck broirn, margined on 

 either side with fulrons; remaindrr if tin' under surface brown shaded ivith rufous, all the feathers 

 broadly and irregularly margined with irhite at the sides, many of the markings, particularly on the 

 lower sides of the body, assuming a conjoined, rounded spot-like firm ; under tail-coverts white with 

 an irregular-shaped fulvous-browii marking down the centre, ivhich is almost obsolete on some of 

 them: outer edge of the centn of the icing whit'': nnd'-r iring-coverts broirn, margined with 

 ocliraceous, the lower ones mottled with while : bill blnisli-liom colour, blackish at the sides and tip ; 

 feet fleshy-grey, sparingly covered until fine spine-like whitish bristles; iris, yelloic. Total length in 

 the llesh 13 inches, wing 9'4, tail 0, e:eposed portion of bill 1, tarsus li!3. 



Adult fkmalk. — Similar in plumage to the male, tint slightly larger, and frei/uently more 

 largely spotted iritli white on the upper wing-corerts and scapulars. Wing 10'2 inehef!. 



Distriliiition. — Queensland, New South Wales, \'ictoria, South Australia, Central Australia, 

 Western Australia. 



^N favourable situations the Boobook Owl is ijenerally distributed over all but the northern 

 Jl and north-western portions of the Australian Continent, and nearly everywhere, whether 

 in Central Australia, or in the coastal districts, it may be found wherever the timber is pi-ovided 

 with spouts and hollow limbs sufficiently lar},'e enoup;h to admit it for the purpose of breeding. 

 Although so widely dispersed, it is not so common as its wide range would lead one to expect, 

 and its well known note " boo-book " is far more frequently heard than the bird is seen. 



