309 
the rest of the lower parts are pure white, intersected by widely 
separated, very regular, narrow, transverse brown bars. 
The iris is yellow. Length 17 to 19, (French) inches, (equal 
to from 18 to 20°12 English inches). 
Yearling birds have the tarsi clad in whitish down. The 
face is dusky, and the whole plumage has a light rufous tinge. 
The lower parts are barred, much as in the adult. The feathers 
of the upper parts exhibit, regular, transverse, white, and light 
rufous bands; the white bands are encircled, (as in the adult) 
but they are much larger than in the latter. The changes 
effected by successive moults in the shape of these broad 
enframed bands, produce intermediate varieties. In some the 
upper parts exhibit brown, white and rufescent, zig-zags. In 
old birds the white spots are small and isolated.” 
No. 66. Syrnium Nivicolum,* Hopeson. 
Tue Himatayan Woop Ow. 
Of the nidification of this species nothing seems to be as yet 
known. Of the nearly allied Syrniwm Aluco of HKurope (8. 
Stridula auct.) My, Hewitson says, “The tawny owl usually 
* Syrnium Nivicotum. 
Druenstons. (Of an adult female). 
Length, 17°5. Expanse, 42. Wing, 12°15. Tail from vent, 7°9. Tarsus, 2. 
Foot, greatest length, 3°6 ; greatest width, 3°75 ; mid toe, to root of claw, 
1:25 ; its claw straight, to point, 0°81 ; hind toe, 0°6 ; its claw, 0°73 ; inner 
toe, 0°95 ; its claw, 0°86. Bill, straight from forehead to point, 1:33 ; from 
gape, 1°55 ; width at gape, 1:1; height at front, 06. 
The closed wings fell short by 1, and the lower tail coverts by 4 
inches, of end of tail. 
The fifth primary was the longest. The first was 3:1; the second, 1:35 ; 
the third, 0-4; and the fourth, 0°15, shorter. The exterior tail feathers 
fell short by one inch of the central ones. 
Description. The legs and feet densely feathered to the terminal joints 
of the toes, which had two or three moderate transverse scales, of a dull 
plumbeous colour, Claws, brown, paler at tips and bases. Jrides, dark brown. 
Bill, pale fleshy yellow. Cere, which is very faintly marked, plain brown. 
Plumage. Feathers of the face greyish white, dark shafted, more or less + 
tinged with dingy rufous brown, and all but those of the lores more 
or less distinctly banded with narrow dark brown bars. Feathers of the 
ruff, deep brown, more or less spotted, or mottled or narrowly barred at 
the tips with mingled white and pale fawn colour. The top of the head, 
nape, back, scapulars, lesser and median wing coverts, deep, almost blackish 
brown, mottled and freckled, with dull, slightly rufous, buff or buffy white. 
Tail and quills, a duller and somewhat paler brown, with irregular, imperfect, 
more or less mottled, dull, buffy white, transverse bars, and more or less freck- 
ling of the same colour on the interspaces towards the margins of the fea- 
thers. The central tail feathers have six, the external eight, transverse 
