72 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



what round in form, and large for the size of the bird; measur- 

 ing two inches in length by one and five-eighths in breadth. 



It will be seen, on reference to the synonyms, that I 

 described this bird, in the " Proceedings of the Zoological 

 Society," under the specific name of fortis ; but I have since 

 ascertained, through the kindness of the late Earl of Derby 

 in affording me the use and inspection of the three volumes of 

 drawings of Australian Birds, formerly in the possession of 

 the late A. B. Lambert, Esq., that it is identical with the 

 Winking Falcon of Latham ; any seeming inattention on my 

 part in describing an apparently new Owl without consulting 

 that author will I hope be readily excused, as few ornitholo- 

 gists would think of looking for the description of this bird 

 under the genus ¥alco. 



It is due to the acumen of the late Mr. Strickland that, by 

 means of the drawings above alluded to, the present and other 

 species described by Latham have been identified, a circum- 

 stance which has caused Aquila facosa to become A. aiidax ; 

 Falco frontatus, F. lunidatm ; Strix per sonata, S. Novcs-Hol- 

 landice, &c. ; unfortunately I did not obtain the loan of these 

 drawings until my work was far advanced, otherwise the errors 

 I now correct would not have occurred. 



Face and throat greyish white ; crown of the head and all 

 the upper sm*face dark brown, tinged with purple; scapularies, 

 secondaries, and greater wing-coverts spotted with white ; 

 primaries alternately barred with dark and greyish brown, the 

 light marks on the outer edges approaching to white ; tail 

 dark brown, transversely barred with six or seven lines of 

 greyish white, the extreme tips of all the feathers terminating 

 with the same ; the whole of the under surface mottled brown 

 and white, the latter occupying the outer edges of the 

 feathers ; tarsi clothed to the toes, and mottled brown and 

 fawn-colour ; irides bright yellow ; cere yellowish olive ; bill 

 light yellowish horn-colour; toes long, yellow, and covered 

 with fine hairs. 



