266 MANUAL OF PHILIPPINE BIRDS. 



Diagnosis. Similar to Ninox reyi but pale spots of primaries few, 

 fulvescent, very slightly spotted with white; and abdomen, flanks, and 

 thighs ocherous-fulvous, not white spotted with brown. Length, 241; 

 wing, 195.* 



This is a little-known species of which more specimens should be 

 examined and compared with Key's hawk owl. 



226. NINOX SPILOCEPHALA Tweeddale. 

 TWEEDDALE'S HAWK OWL. 



Ninox spilocephala TWEEDDALE, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1878), 940; SHABPE, Hand- 

 List (1899), 1, 290; McGBEGOB and WORCESTER, Hand-List (1906), 47. 



Basilan (Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor) ; Mindanao 

 (Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Celestino). 



Adult. Very similar to Ninox philippensis from which it differs in 

 having the head and neck spotted with rufous or tawny brown and the 

 white spots on primary- and secondary-coverts larger ; decomposed feathers 

 below eye unusually long and entirely covering the true ear-coverts. A 

 male from Basilan is 230 in length; wing, 177; tail, 83; oilmen from 

 base, 22; tarsus, 26. Female, length, 230; wing, 158; tail, 82; culmen 

 from base, 21; tarsus, 28. 



"Very common in the islands where it occurs. Hides among thick 

 vines or bushes during the day. Feeds on beetles, grasshoppers, and the 

 like. Iris yellow; legs and feet dirty, light yellow; bill pale greenish 

 horn-color. Ten specimens average, 214 in length; wing, 162; tail, 76; 

 culmen, 15; tarsus, 28; middle toe with claw, 22." (Bourns and 

 Worcester MS.) 



227. NINOX SPILONOTA Bourns and Worcester. 

 SPOTTED HAWK OWL. 



Ninox spilonotus BOURNS and WORCESTER, Minnesota Acad. Nat. Sci. Occ. 

 Papers (1894), 1, 8. 



Ninox spilonota SHABPE, Hand-List (1899), 1, 290; MCGREGOR and WOR- 

 CESTER, Hand-List (1906), 47. 



Cebu (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor) ; Mindoro (Platen, Everett, Bourns & 

 Worcester) ; Sibuyan (Bourns d Worcester, McGregor) ; Tablas (Bourns <t 

 Worcester ) . 



"Sexes alike. General color of upper surface fulvous-brown; feathers 

 of head, nape, interscapulars, and wing-coverts spotted with light rufous- 

 brown giving the parts in question a decidedly speckled appearance ; rump 

 fulvous-brown, upper tail-coverts faintly spotted with pale rufous-brown ; 

 tail nearly black with nine narrow transverse bands of light rufous-brown ; 



* Sharpe's diagnosis of this species follows: "Similis N. reyi, sed maculis 

 pallidis primariorum paucis fulvescentibus, minime albo quadratim notatis, et 

 abdomine, hypochondriis, et tibiis ochrascentifulvis, nee albis brunneo maculatis 

 distinguenda. Long. tot. 9.5 poll, alae 7.7." 



