210 DR. J. J. KAUP'S MONOGRAPH OF THE STRIGID.E. 



night-time. On uttering their peculiar cry they bow their head, — it sounds like 

 Kukou-iva. The Grecian name Koti-)^ov(iaia is an imitation of it. Savi pronounces it 

 ' Cucutio.' Its name in Lucca is ' Cucca-raegia.' No traveller mentions having seen 

 this species in forests, or on a single tree, but all the rocks and naked hills abound 

 with it'. 



3. Athene noctua, Bp. 



Strix noctua, Ketz. Fauna Suec. p. 85. 



passerina, Lath. ; Temm. Naum. t. 48. 1 ; Gould, B. of Eur. pi. 48. 



Athene passerina, Boie. 



Diagn. — Toes with bristly feathers, which have some radii at the base on each side. 

 Tail with four rufous-yellow bands. 



Descr. — The head-feathers with large shaft-spots, which are broader at the ends. 

 Shoulder-coverts with large white spots. The lower parts with rufous-brownish shaft- 

 stripes. 



06s. — This is more a twilight bird than the A. meridionalis, and belongs to the tem- 

 perate parts of Europe. It seems to seek the neighbourhood of man, and is found very 

 often in old buildings ; also in thin woods, in stone-pits, in the hollows of trees, and in 

 high banks. It is capable of being tamed very quickly. Naumann contends that its 

 flight in the day-time is like that of a woodpecker or hoopoe, descending in arcs. At 

 night it is attracted by a light, and on approaching, utters its peculiar cry with much 

 vehemence, which has given this poor bird an unenviable reputation amongst the 

 superstitious. 



Dimens. — Head 50-52, wing 159-180, tail 72-100 mm. long. 



4. Athene brama, G. R. Gray. 



Strix brama, Temm. Col. 68. 



indica, Fraakl. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1831, p. 115. 



Athene indica, Blyth, Journ. A. S. B. p. 369. 



Diagn. — Toes with bristly feathers. Tail with four to five distinct small white cross 

 bands. Lower parts with arrow-like black cross bands. 



Descr. — The head-feathers with white bands in the middle, and two spots on the 

 ends. Shoulder-coverts with small white spots. The white bands of the tail do not 

 reach to the shaft. 



Dimens. — Head 50, wing 152, tail 75 mm. long. 



Asia and its Archipelago. 



' This gave rise to the old Greek adage — when speaking of an unnecessary or superfluous act, — that it 

 was " bringing owls to Athens." This in later days has been anglicised, and we read of men advised " not to 

 carry coals to Newcastle" (K.). 



