94 THE JAKDINES HARRlEl!. 



The. L'olour (if tli(^ adult male is bluisli-grey on tlu^ u])per parts of tlie body, the 

 sccoiulai-k'.s l)('iii,n' inavlccd with three bars of dark-grey brown, and the primaries blark. 

 The upper surface of the tail is liluish-grey upon the central feathers, and wliite ujnm 

 those at the side, marked with several bars of orange-red ; their under surface is greyish- 

 white, with several transverse bars of greyish-brown. The under parts of the body are 

 nearly white, barred with numerous transverse streaks of orange-red, lOce those on the tail. 

 The legs anil toes arc yellow, the cere is yellowish-green, and tlie beak is almost black. 

 The length of the bird is about seventeen inches. 



The very remarkable bird which is now known as the Jardines Haeeiee is one ot 

 the myriad strange creatures which are produced by Australia, that land of wonders. 



According to Gould, it is generally found in plains, and specially frequents the wide 

 and luxuriant grass flats that intervene between the mountain ranges. Like all the birds 

 of the same genus, it is never seen to soar, l.nit sweeps over the surface of the ground at a 

 low elevation, seeking after the mice, reptiles, small birds, and other creatures on which 

 it feeds. It is very fond of small snakes and frogs, and in order to obtain them may lie 

 seen hovering over the marshes, or beating the wet ground after the fashion of the hen 

 harrier. It is seldom known to perch on trees, preferring to take its stand on some large 

 stone or elevated hillock from which it may survey the surrounding land. The nest of 

 this bird is sujiposed to be built on the ground, overshadowed by some bush or tuft of 

 grass, like that of other harriers, and placed upon the top of one of the numerous "scrub" 

 iiills. 



The colouring of this bird is quite unique, and would attract attention even if it were 

 not an anomaly among birds of this genus. The head, cheeks, and ear-coverts are dark 

 streaked chestnut, the streaky appearance being given by a deep black line down the centre 

 of each feather. A grey collar or band passes round the neck and the back of the head, 

 the ]irimaries are buif towards their base, and black for the latter two-thirds of their 

 length. 1'lie tail is Ixirred alternately with dark brown and grey, the extremity being 

 broM-n. The back and scapularies are dark-grey sprinkled \\'ith a number of little white 

 dots, and the entire under surface is a bright ruddy chestnut, covered profusely with 

 nearly circular white spots of considerable size. -The legs are yellow, and the bill dark 

 slaty-blue, becoming black at the extremity. 



o ^v L s. 



There are few groups of birds which are so decidedly marked as the Owls, and so 

 easy of recognition. The round, puffy head, the little hooked beak just appearing from 

 the downy plumage with which it is surrounded, the large, soft, blinking eyes, and the 

 curious disk of feathers which radiate from the eye and form a funnel-shaped depression, 

 are such characteristic distinctions, that an Owl, even of the least Owl-like aspect, can at 

 once be detected and referred to its proi)er ]ilace in the animal kingdom. There is a 

 singular resemblance between the face of an Owl and that of a cat, which is the more 

 notable as both these creatures have much the same kind of habits, live on the same prey, 

 and are evidently representatives of the same idea in their different classes. The Owl, in 

 fact, is a winged cat, just as the cat is a furred Owl. 



These birds are, almo.st without an exception, nocturnal in their habits, and are fitted 

 for their peculiar life by a most wouderhilly adapted form and structure. The eyes aie 

 made so as to take in every ray of light, and are so sensitive to its inlliience, lliat they 

 are unable to endure the glare of daylight, being formed expressly for the dim light of 

 evening or earliest dawn. An ordinary Owl (3f almost any species, when brought into the 



