STRIGIDA. o7 
In plumage this is a very handsome bird, though 
somewhat difficult to describe minutely, on account 
of its extremely varied and mottled appearance. 
The exposed part of the beak is black; irides 
orange-yellow; immediately round the base of the 
beak, and hiding it, are white feathers, mixed with 
a few long hair-like black feathers; face brownish 
orange; tips of the feathers freckled with brown and 
grey ; feathers edging the facial disk brownish orange 
and dark brown; long feathers making the ear-tufts 
dark brown in the centre, edged with brownish 
orange and light buff, almost white on the upper 
parts and inside; forehead yellowish brown, and 
brown and white freckled; head and nape streaked 
with brownish orange and brown; all the upper 
parts minutely spotted and speckled with the same 
three colours; breast brownish orange, streaked 
with dark brown and spotted with white; legs and 
toes rather lighter brownish orange, extreme ends of 
the toes bare; quills light yellowish brown, barred 
with dark brown; tail the same; claws rather long, 
curved, sharp and black. 
The eggs are white, and much resembling, both in 
size and shape, those of the Shorteared and of the 
Barn Owl. 
SHORTEARED Owt, Otus brachyotos. The Short- 
eared Owl, during the time of its stay, is certainly 
‘more numerous than the last-mentioned species. 
This, though a few may probably remain to breed in 
E 
