316 STHIGII>/E. 



In New South Wales tlie Masked Owl is more often met with in the heavily timbered 

 districts and open forest lands near the coast. Altliou.^h it usually passes the day in some hollow 

 bough, it is not a strictly nocturnal species, for it may he sMiietimes disturbed duriiiL; the day 

 time, while perched on some thick' bouijh, but generally sheltered entirely with dense foliage. 

 A pair of these birds liave frequented Koseville, near Sydney, for a great number of years, their 

 nesting-place being found by Mr. P'rank Shelley down the hollow trunk of a live Grey Gum, 

 which contained a single young bird. He informed me that tliere was the usual amount of fur 

 pellets and small bones usually found in Uwls' nesting-places. The foregoing figure is reproduced 

 from a photograph I took on the 22nd June, njii. One of tlie birds was flushed from the hollow, 

 and remained all the time we were there perched in a large tree close by. 



The late Mr. K. H. Bennett wrote in 1886 from Mossgiel, New South Wales, as follows: — 

 " In the early days of settlement of this part of New South Wales, and during the time of the 

 rat invasion, .S7;7 v lun'ic-hollanduc was very numerous, and committed great ha\oc amongst those 

 rodents. During the day these Owls took refuge in the hollow trunks of the stunted Bo.x- 

 trees, that grew in scattered clumps on the plams, and to these retreats they were in the habit 

 of bringing the rats or other small rodents caught during the night. Frequently these hollows 

 were hlled up to a depth of two or three feet with bones and the pellets or balls of fur disgorged 

 by the Owls. When the rats disappeared these birds also took their departure, and they have 

 not appeared here since. Of their nidilication I know nothing." 



From Melbourne, \'ictoria, Mr. G. A. Keartland sends me the following notes:— I have 

 only met with Strix novce-hoUaiuUir twice in X'ictoria, and did not secure one. The last occasion 

 was on a Sunday afternoon, when I was strolling near the Merri Creek, at North Fitzroy. A 

 magnificent example Hew past me, and perched on a rock about twenty yards away. 1 examined 

 it carefully, and then walked up to within a few feet of it before it took Hight in the direction of 

 Studley Park. Dr. D'Ombrain forwarded me a nice specimen from Casterton, in Western 

 Victoria, where it was caught in a rabbit trap. I liave reliable information that a pair breed 

 regularly in that district, but their nesting place in the hollow spout of a dead tree is safe from 

 the most ardent oologist. Along the banks of the rivers in the Northern Territory of South 

 Australia they are fairly common, and I ha\e received their eggs from the Daly River." 



Dr. Ernest D'Ombrain wrote me as follows from Casterton, N'ictoria, on the 27tl] Jime, 

 1903 : — " I recently became possessed of two very line specimens of Strix noi\r-liolhiudi(e. It is 

 fairly common here during the cooler months, and often steals the rabbits caught in the traps of 

 the rabbiters. I feel sure from observations that it also takes the life of the newly-born lambs, 

 as the bodies present quite different external post-mortem appearances from those killed by 

 foxes or dogs. The buds are exceptionally powerful, especially in the muscles of the thighs. 

 A very fine specimen I had given me alive was taken by a tiapper, who mutlled his trap and 

 placed a freshly taken rabbit close by. The Owl Hew down from the fence post, where he had 

 been perched during the preparations, and then walked sedately up and into the trap. This 

 specimen measured three feet eight inches from tip to tip of the wings, and when standing erect 

 reached about two feet in height. I have found the remains of the little ' Flying Squirrel ' 

 in the hollows where they camp. My friend, Mr. W. McLennan, and I ha\e investigated 

 many hollows in the big open forest timber, but were always doomed to disappointment, 

 and we are now agreed that these Owls breed early like the Eagles and some of the Hawks in 

 this district. We always looked for them in November and December, because we flushed a 

 full grown young one from a nesting hollow in December, 1902. This hollow contained in one 

 corner of it a three quarter shell, which enabled me to get an approximate size and idea of the 

 egg. Owl's eggs being so round enabled this to be more readily done; breadth 1-5 inches, 

 length nearly 2 inches. This fragment was white, and a little less rounded than ( )wls' eggs 

 usually are. 



