On a new Species of Owl from New Zealand. 639 



XLIY-. — On a new Species of Owl from New Zealand. 

 By Sir Walter L. Buller, K.C.M.G., F.R.S. 



As probably most of the readers of ' The Ibis ' are aware, we 

 possess iu New Zealand a very remarkable form of Ground- 

 Owl, Sceloglaux albifacies, which has long been extremely 

 rare and is in fact on the verge of extinction. All the known 

 examples of this bird have come from the South Island. 

 I have now to record the existence of a closely allied species 

 in the North Island, of which only one example is known, 

 this having been killed in the Wairarapa district, near 

 Wellington, in the summer of 1868-9. A coloured figure 

 and a full account of this bird will appear in the fe Supple- 

 ment " to my ' Birds of New Zealand/ now in the press; 

 and all I propose to do at present is to publish a brief 

 synopsis of the distinguishing characters. 



SCELOGLAUX RUFIFACIES, 11. Sp. 



Ad. $ . Similis S. albifaciei, sed valde minor, et supra 

 rufescente suffusa; facie sordide rufescenti-brunnea, 

 minime alba; pileo nuchaque nigricanti - brunneis ; 

 remigibus rufescenti-brunneo regulariter fasciatis et 

 terminatis ; rectricibus concoloribus fulvescenti- brun- 

 neis, pallidiore brunneo obscure fasciatis : rostro 

 flavicante ; pedibus sordide flavis. 



Adult female. — Similar to Sceloglaux albifacies, but appre- 

 ciably smaller ; face dull rufous brown, instead of being 

 white ; crown and nape blackish brown ; entire upper 

 surface strongly suffused with rufous ; quills marked with 

 regular transverse bars and a terminal edging of rufous 

 brown; tail-feathers uniform yellowish brown, obscurely 

 barred with pale brown. Bill lemon - yellow ; feet dull 

 vellow. 



