278 ON THE GEOGllAPHICAL 



there is no difference between the sexes, and that every variation between 

 white and rufous birds can be found, as is evidenced by a series in the 

 Museum at Marseilles. They state that, either as a resident or a migrant, 

 it is common over the whole of the south of France. 



When in Paris I managed to secure three French specimens of the 

 Barn-Owl from my friend M. A. Bouvier. One had been killed in the 

 neighbourhood of Paris ; the other two were sent to him in the flesh, but he 

 did not remember the exact locality. 



The following are mv notes on these birds : — 



N. Light phase, with white breast, slightly tinged with orange on 

 the sides of the chest and having a few dots of brown on the sides of 

 the breast ; wings with indications of bars on the outer web, represented by 

 dark spots on the inner ; tail orange-buff tipped with w^hite, and inclining to 

 white on the outer web ; no bars on the tail, but all over is an irregular 

 greyish mottling, thicker at the ends of the feathers. Total length 13 inches, 

 wing ir9, tail 5'4, tarsus 2"5, middle toe 1"2. 



O. Dark phase. This specimen agrees best with Mr. Bond's dark bird 

 from Esher ; but it is of a rather richer orange on the breast, though not 

 so thickly spotted with brown ; on the primaries are five greyish bands, on 

 the tail/owr ; facial disk white, the gular plumes of the ruff being less tipped 

 with brown than in the English specimens. Total length 13 inches, wing 

 11 "5, tail 5'4, tarsus 2"5, middle toe 1*2. 



P. Near Paris. Very dark in colour, the mottlings of the upper surface 

 being of a beautiful slaty grey, paler on the head, the ends of the quills and 

 tail also mottled with slaty grey ; bands on quills and tmifour ; under surface 

 of body rich orange-buff, numerously spotted with brown. Total length 

 12*5 inches, wing 11*3, tail 4'8, tarsus 2'4, middle toe 1'2. 



Sioitzerland. M. Leon Olph-Galhard includes it in his list of the birds 

 of Le Valais, and says (under the heading of Strix splendens) : — " Without 

 discussing the specific value of the Barn-Owl, whose dominant colour of 



