294 BIRDS OF BRITISH GUIANA. 



similar in colour to tho l)ack_, broadly streaked with wliite on the 

 abdomen and sides ol: the body ; under wing-coverts buffy-white 

 with dark markings. "• Bill horn-colour ; eye straw-colour; feet 

 greenish-yellow, claws black ^' (H. JVJiiteli/). 



Total length 159 mm., culmen 13, wing 95, tail 55, tarsus 21, 

 middle toe and claw 22. 



The male specimen fiom which the description is taken was 

 collected at the Takutu Mountains. 



Adult female. Similar to the adult male, but appears to be 

 slightly larger in size. Wing 105 mm. "Eye yellow ; bill green 

 streaked with yellow ; feet yellowish-green ; underneath yellow ; 

 claws black " (//. Whitel^/). 



We have examined a series of nine males and two females 

 of this species in the British Museum, which was collected by 

 Whitely in British Guiana during the months of January, March, 

 June, July,Se})tem})er, November, and December, and notice that 

 the colour of plumage varies from dusky brown to cinnamon-rufous. 



Breeding-season. Unknown in British Guiana. 



JS^est. Unrecorded in British Guiana. 



J^ygs. Undescribed from British Guiana. 



Range in. British Guiana. Uj)per Takutu Mountains {}fcCon- 

 riell colledion) ; ]\Iount lioraima, 3500 ft., Merume Mountains, 

 Annai, Quonga, Kamakusa ( WJdtehj) ; Pirara (SrJtomhurgk). 



Extralimital liange. VenezAiela, Margarita Island, Trinidad. 



Habits. Schomburgk states (Reis. Guian. iii. p. 731) that the 

 first specimen he obtained of this small Owl was on the banks 

 of the Takutu River, though he had often heard its melancholy 

 note. It preferred the dense woods and shrubs, and often uttered 

 its note dui-ing the daytime. In Pirara an old Indian had taken 

 three young ones from a hollow tree. They were absolutely 

 tame, and were as lively during the day as in the evening. The 

 " ]\Iacusis " call it Daetnoir and the " Arokunas '' Daiicoh. 



Genus TYTO Billb. 



Tyfo Billberti:, Synop. Faunae Scand. vol. i. jKirt ii. tab. A, 1828. Type 

 T. alba Sc'Ojjoli. 



This genus may be distinguished by the long wings, which when 

 closed reach much beyond the tip of the tail, in having the lower 

 portion of the tarsi almost naked, and the tarsus about twice the 

 lenoth of that of the culmen. 



