On a new Chinese Owl of the Genus Ketupa. 127 



XVI. — On a new Chinese Owl of the Genus Ketupa. 

 By R. Swinhoe, H.M. Consul at Ningpo. 



On the 12th of November, while seated at breakfast, a coun- 

 tryman walked into the room with a pair of huge dead Owls, 

 and put them on the floor before me. They wore the rich buff 

 colour and had the general appearance of the Eagle Owl ; and 

 I took them for that species, until my eye caught the bare feet, 

 and I saw that they were of the genus Ketupa. I think this 

 grand species well worthy of the name magnified. 



Ketupa magnifica, n. sp. 



Bill deep bluish black, lighter at the base, which is con- 

 cealed by protruding feathers. Inside of mouth pale yellowish 

 flesh-colour. Rim of eyelid deep purplish brown ; iris fine 

 orange-yellow. Exposed portion of tarse and toes dingy, with 

 a tinge of clay-colour, yellowish on terminal scutes of toes ; 

 claws bluish black, fading to light leaden at their bases. 



General plumage rufous buff, and black. Feathers at the 

 base of upper mandible of the bill between the eyes pure 

 white, ending in black vibrissa', facial disk rufous, ending 

 in the same way ; a semicircle at the back of ear of small 

 white feathers ; feathers of the crown black, with broad buff 

 margins narrowing to the tips, with occasional spots of the 

 same on the black ; ear-tufts formed of unequal feathers, 

 longest 3 j inches. Dorsals black, with broad basal buff mar- 

 gins, and a few spots of buff (sometimes of white), increas- 

 ing in size and frequency on the scapulars. Rump brownish 

 buff, with large spots of black and buff. Tail black, with 

 six (including the broader apical) rufous bands. On the 

 scapulars and wing-coverts the spots and edgings begin to 

 turn into bands, which on the quills are more regular and 

 broader, though disconnected by the intervention of the stems 

 of the feathers, and not evenly transverse, and the portions 

 on the inner webs often browner in hue. Axillaries buff, with 

 with a few long drops of black. Chin white leading down- 

 wards to a large white roundish patch which occupies nearly, 

 the whole breast ; a wash of buff with dark streaks divides 

 the chin from the beast-spot, the feathers of the last being 



