VARIEGATED OWL. 279 



crossed by numerous narrow or linear white bars; 

 the face and whole under parts white, with the 

 shafts of the thigh-feathers dusky, forming a tine 

 streak down each: the bill is black; the irides 

 yellowish-hazel, and the eyes beset on each side 

 the back part with several long diverging vibrissa? 

 or hairs of a black colour. This elegant species 

 is a native of the interior of Africa, appearing only 

 during twilight, and moving with rapid flight. The 

 female is said to be rather smaller than the male, 

 and of a less pure white beneath. On opening 

 the stomach Levaillant observed only the remains 

 of insects, and of a small land frog. This bird, as 

 before observed, emerges only in the evening, and 

 even later than other nocturnal birds of prey. 

 During its flight it skims the surface of the ground, 

 uttering at frequent intervals a sharp cry. 



VARIEGATED OWL. 



Strix Nisuella. S. fusco albidoque subtransversim varia, subtus 

 undulata, torque faciali nigro marginata, cauda cuneata. 



Owl subtransversly variegated with brown and white, beneath 

 undulated ; the ruff of the face edged with black, and the 

 tail cuneated. 



Le Chou cou hou. Levaill. ois. pi. 3Q. 



Variegated Owl. Lath, suppl. 2. 



Size of S. Otus : habit somewhat approaching to 

 that of the Hawk Owh colour a subtransverse 

 mixture of dark-brown and white, with a cast of 

 ferruginous: the under parts more closely or nar- 

 rowly barred than the upper: face white, dashed 



