318 



sriiK.iD.t;. 



JiikIij ji-ickh'il icilli (lurk lirnii-ii, mil w/iic/i r.fffuils ir/-ri/n.larli/ dJottij (hf iiiilfr ir^hs of llir 

 jiriiiianen, and iucn'asiiiJ/ in i.r/enf on f/o' oiUei' sc.roiulnripa : //n' iiimr ivcbs of ina^t i>f thf si'voiirlaries 

 irhilr : iijijirr t:til-ciii-i'rls lik' llo'lnn-k: i-rtitroJ iKtir of /nil f'dlli-is rrrij /mU oraiof Imlf, llo r'liiaiioh'r 

 ■ivlii.lisli, (Hid tdl barntl across ?vith dark broiru aiid miitlhd or fn i-khd /ciih b/iffy /iro/ro, di-rreasiiiy 

 ill i.tifiiif towards llo- ou/iroiosf ffat/icr on eitlu-r sidr : fin/lo rs on the croum of the lo od broiini, 

 Jno'li/ sjiot.teil ititli icliitf, their hasfs pale ortno/e-hnjl' : facial disc a-fit,' n-itli a lilarkishdirmru spot in 

 front of each, eiji- : rnff pure ivhite irnslod irith oramje liajl on tlo' in.wr sidr nliorr '■acli ii/'', onlij 

 tin- outer portion, lieinr/ hlaekishd>roirn ; siih-s of the mck- and all the under sii/rfac' and under iiiay- 

 corerts ivhitish, ' ach fenthrr irilh a blackishdiroica s/'iit nrar tin' tip, the sides of tin iii'ck and the chest 

 faiuthj irashi'd n-ith orani/rdjnjf: nnder tail cocfrts pure ivhilf : hill jlesh colour, darkrr on the apical 

 portion: leys and feit whitish : iris dark hron-n. 'I\ttal h nyth in tin fli'sh I ipd'i iiiclo's, iriny 1.1, 

 tail JfO, e.cposed portion of bill It'!), tarsus ..'. 



Adult FKMAI.K. — .Similar in /ilnmaye to tin- male. 

 J)i<li'iliiili(iii. — Oueenslaiui, New South Wales, \"ictoria. 



/~|(^1II'^ Grass ( )wl may easily l)e distinguished 

 -i~ hom all other meinbeis of the genus Strl.x 

 inhabiting Australia by its long legs; uthetwise on the 

 under parts it more closely resembles a large example 

 of .S\ dclualnla. It has a wide ultra-Australian range, 

 being found in Snuth-eastern Asia, I'ormosa and the 

 Philippine Islands, the type being describedby Tickell, 

 in the " Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal." ■• 

 Throughout llastern Australia it is sparingly dis- 

 tributed, and is essentially an inhabitant of the coastal 

 scrubs and adjacent open grass-lands, and is by far 

 the rarest niemlier of the genus Stri.x inhabitiu',' the 

 island-continent. Some specimens have the upper 

 and under surface and rufi more strongly washed with 

 orant;e-buir, and the white facial disc stained with dull 

 chestnut. 





CIKA.SS (iWr.. 



The late Mr. |. L'iggles recorded it as an .\ustralian 

 species, in his " Ornithology of .Australia," under the 

 name of Strix ;, j/A;/, where he remarks : — " This fine 

 new species of Owl is now figured for the hrst time, 

 and it is with much pleasure I name it after the dis- 

 coverer, Mr. lili Waller, of Brisbane, to whose large 

 and valuable collection I am so much mdebted for most of Tuy figures, and to whose scientiiic 

 and extensixe practical knowledge of the birds of .Australia, and energy and perseverance as a 

 collector, I am happy to bear testimony. It does not often happen in a country so well searched 

 as Australia, since the visit of Mr. Gould in the years iS3.S._(o, so important and interesting a 

 species as the present is brought to light, and the fact of this new species having been shot in 

 the inmiediate neighbourhood of Brisbane, may serve to encourage others interested in the study 

 of ornithology (more especially in the newly settled districts, where novelties are mostly to be 

 looked for), to endeavour to add their contributions to the very numerous and interesting fauna 

 of their adopted country. Nothing is as yet known of the habits of this species, but it doubtless 

 assimilates in every important respect to the family in general. Its nearest ally is Strix dclicaiida, 

 a much smaller species, which, like the present, has the tarsi naked for about half their length, 

 the remainder of the .\ustralian ( hvls yet known being leathered to the toes." 



Vol II 



* Journ. Asiatic Soc. Hen;.; 



p. 572. 



