7 HE FROGMOUTHS 



face a peculiar appearance. Eleven species are known, all found in Australia and 

 the adjacent Moluccan and Papaun islands, as well as in New Caledonia. The 

 Australian owlet frogmouth (sEgotheles nwa-hottandia) , which is about eight and 

 one-half inches in length, has the general color dusky with whitish vermiculations; 

 the head being darker, with two longitudinal stripes of white and two crescentic 

 marks of white on the hind part and nape; while the under surface of the body is 

 white with dusky vermiculations, and the abdomen and under tail coverts more or 

 less uniform. This species ranges all over Australia and Tasmania, Gould stating 

 that he found many specimens and procured the eggs, which are four or five in 



AUSTRALIAN OWI.ET FROGMOUTH. 

 (Two-fifths natural size.) 



number, pure white, and are laid in the hole of a tree, without any attempt at a 

 nest. " During the day," he says, "the bird resorts to the hollow branches or 

 spouts, as they are called, and the holes of the gum trees, sallying forth as night 

 approaches in quest of insects, particularly small beetles. Its flight is straight, and 

 not characterized by the sudden turns and descents of the goatsuckers. On driving 

 it from its haunts, I have sometimes observed it to fly direct to a hole in another 

 tree, but more frequently to alight on a neighboring branch, perching across and 

 nevtr parallel to it. When assailed in its retreat, it emits a loud hissing noise, 



