. FALCONIDJE. 



27 



152. EAGLE-OWL. Bubo ignavus, T. Forster. Very rare wanderer ; Europe, 

 not yet noticed in Ireland. * j^ ca ' 



Facial disk incomplete above eyes ; tufts very large ; no operculum. N. China, 



General colour above blackish, mottled with tawny yellow. Toes so Japan. 



thickly feathered that the last joint is hidden. Iris orange-yellow. 



Length 26-27 inches. 



153. LITTLE OWL. Carine noctua (Scopoli). Eare straggler; not Europe, 

 recorded from Scotland or Ireland. Probably many of the records are Asia Minor, 

 those of escaped or turned-out specimens. 



Facial disk ill-defined ; tuftless ; no operculum. 



Above greyish brown, spotted with white; below white, much 

 streaked with brown ; iris yellow ; toes without feathers, but covered 

 with bristles. Length 7 5-8 inches. 



N. Africa. 



Order ACCIPITEES. Family VULTURI 



k^r 154. GEIFFON VTJLTUEE. Gyps fulvus (J. F. Gmelin). A young 

 '/bird obtained near Cork in 1843. 



General colour ashy fulvous ; head and neck covered with whitish 

 down ; ruff of white down. Primaries and tail blackish. 



Young. E/uff of tawny lanceolate feathers. Length 40 inches. 



155. EGYPTIAN YFLTFEE. Neophron percnopterus (Linnaeus). Twice 

 ^obtained in England. 



Adults. "Whitish, primaries black ; fore part of head and neck bare of 

 feathers and yellow. 



Young. Dark brown ; front of head and neck dirty grey. Length 

 25 inches. 



S. Europe, 

 N.Africa ^ 



S. Europe, 

 N. Africa, 

 wintering in 

 S. Africa. 





(FALCONID^l. 

 156. MAESH-HAEEIEE. Circus ceruginosus (Linnaeus). At one time 

 resident in England and Ireland, but now almost exterminated ; very 

 rare in Scotland. 



Outer web of fifth primary notched ; tail uniform above. 



Adult male. Head creamy white, streaked with blackish brown ; wing- 

 coverts, secondaries, tertials, and tail ash-grey. (This plumage rarely 

 occurs in this country.) 



Female. Head huffish or creamy white, streaked with blackish brown ; 

 creamy white margin on shoulders of wings. General colour dark 

 ! brown ; below chocolate-brown ; tail brown. 



Young of the year. Dark brown ; head chocolate-brown. In the 



next plumage the head, chin, and throat vary from, rufous to creamy 



white, more or less streaked with blackish brown ; but in first plumage 



some are said occasionally to have the head creamy white. Length 



! 21-23 inches. 



