6 



[ 268 ] 



XXI. Description of a New Species of Owl of the Genus Ciccaba. 

 By Philip Lutley Sclater, M.A., F.L.S., Bjc. 



Read April 12, 1859. 



Mr. J. H. GURNEY has invited my attention to the example of an Owl of the 

 enus Ciccaba, which I now exhibit. It has already passed through my hands once, 

 having been submitted to my examination by M. Verreaux, along with other birds 

 from Southern Mexico, of which I gave some account in our ' Proceedings ' for last 

 year. As will be seen by referring to my remarks given on that occasion', I then 

 somewhat unwillingly referred it to Ciccaba huhula. Mr. Gurney, however, having 

 acquired the specimen for the Norwich Museum, agrees with M. Jules Verreaux 

 (whose opinion to that effect I have already recorded) in insisting on its distinctness. 

 Having lately had an opportunity of examining a second specimen of this bird, in 

 the collection of the Jardin des Plantes at Paris, I am now quite prepared to coincide 

 with their views, and to characterize this Mexican Ciccaba as an independent species, 

 differing from, though closely allied to, the S. American Ciccaba huhula. It may be 

 recognized at once by the more uniform colour above, there being hardly a trace of 

 white transverse markings, except on the elongated feathers of the neck-collar, and by 

 the ground-colour below being pure white, crossed by frequent narrow bands of black, 

 each feather showing three or four of such cross-bands. I propose to call this bird 



Ciccaba nigrolineata. (PI. LXIII.) 



Schistacescenti-nigra, colli postici plumis elongatis et albo ter quater transfasciatis : 

 maculis in regione superciliari et auriculari quibusdam albis : subtus alba, lineis nigris 

 crebro transfasciata : mento nigra .- subalaribus albis, nigro variegatis : cauda nigra, 

 albo quinquies transfasciata : rostra et pedibus flavissimis : tibiis nigris, albo sparsis. 



Long, tota 15'0, alae 10"5, caudse 6*78, rostri a rictu 1"35, tarsi 2'1. 



Had. In Mexico Meridionali. 



Mus. Norfolciensi et Parisiensi. 



' See p. Z. S 1858, p. 96. 



