DISTRIBUTION OF BARN-OWLS. 297 



Australian Region. 



Celebes. The Barn-Owl of this island has been separated as a distinct 

 species QStrix rosenbergi of Schlegel), on account of its large size and powerful 

 feet. Mr. Wallace obtained a specimen (/3) in bamboo-thickets near Macassar 

 in 1856, Von Rosenberg at Modehdo, Bone, and Gorontalo ; while examples 

 from Menado are in the Leiden Museum and in Lord Walden's collection 

 (cf. Walden, Tr. Z. S. viii. p. 41). The large size of this bird has caused it 

 to be compared with S. nova-hoUandicB ; but it is really only a large edition 

 of the Javan Barn-Owl, possessing, like that species, a distinctly vermiculated 

 or rather waved under surface; bars on quills ^ye, on tail five. Total length 



17 inches, wing 12*9, tail 6 3, tarsus 2'85. 



Mr. Wallace's specimen is described at full length in the ' Catalogue of 

 Birds ' (vol. ii. p. 298), where a second example is also noticed by me, as 

 follows : — 



" Another specimen (y), collected by Dr. Meyer, measures — total length 



18 inches, wing 13, tail 6'5, tarsus 2-9. It is very much the same in colour 

 as the one described, but is darker, so that the white spots show everywhere 

 more distinctly ; on the underparts there are remains of circular bars on many 

 of the feathers, particularly those of the chest." 



We have now to consider the Australian Barn-Owl — Strix delicatula of 

 Gould. The general/acie^ of this bird is different from any of the forms hitherto 

 noted by us ; and it may, as a rule, be recognized by its pearl-grey plumage 

 and distinctly spotted secondaries, the white subterrainal spot on these quills 

 being strongly pronounced. The tail, too, is generally very white ; but some- 

 times a dark phase occurs, when the Owl is scarcely to be told from true S. 

 flammea. On this account it is impossible to accord specific rank to the 

 Australian bird, even if the intermediate nature of Indian examples did not 

 render such a separation hazardous. The facial ruff and disk in S. delicatula 

 is usually of a very delicate and silvery white ; the absence of orange on the 



