367 



ATHENE GLAUX. 



(SOUTHERN LITTLE OWL.) 



Strix noctua, Forsk. Descrip. Anim. Aves, p. 8, no. 2 (1775, nee Scop.). 



Strix passerina, Sonnini, Voy. en Egypte, i. p. 349 (1799, nee Linn.). 



Noctua glaux, Savigny, Syst. Ois. de l'Egypte et de la Syrie, p. 45 (1810). 



Strix persica, Vieill. Nouv. Diet. vii. p. 26 (1817). 



Noctua meridionalis, Eisso, Hist. Nat. Eur. Merid. iii. p. 32 (1826). 



Noctua meridionalis (Eisso), Less. Man. d'Om. i. p. 110 (1828). 



Noctua passerina, Eiipp. Neue Wirbelth. p. 45 (1835, nee Linn.). 



Strix noctua meridionalis, Schlegel, Eevue Crit. p. 15 (1844). 



Strix numida, Levaill. jun. Exped. Scient. dans 1' Alger, pi. 4 (1844). 



Athene bactrianus, Hutton, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. xvi. p. 776 (1847). 



Athene indigena, A. E. Brehm, Journ. fur Orn. 1853, p. 77. 



Athene persica (Vieill.), Bp. Eev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 543. 



Noctua veterum meridionalis, Schl. Mus. Pays-Bas, Striges, p. 29 (1862). 



Strix nilotica, Pr. Wiirt, fide Loche, Expl. Scient. de l'Alg. Ois. i. p. 106 (1867). 



Strix pharaonis, v. Mull., fide Loche, torn. cit. p. 106 (1867). 



Noctua persica (Vieill.), Degl. & Gerbe, Orn. Eur. i. p. 123 (1867). 



Noctua veterum, Heugl. Orn. Nordost-Afr. i. p. 118 (1869). 



Athene glaux (Savig.), G. E. Gray, Hand-1. of B. i. p. 39 (1869). 



Carine meridionalis (Eisso), Shelley, B. of Egypt, p. 177 (1872). 



Carine glaux (Savig.), Irby, B. of Gibr. p. 58 (1875). 



Carine bactriana (Hutton), Sharpe, Ibis, 1875, p. 258. 



Figures notabiles. 

 Levaill. jun. I. c. ; Schlegel & Susera. Vog. Eur. taf. 47. fig. 3 ; Fritsch, Vog. Eur. taf. 13. fig. 7. 



Ad. Athenm noctua similis sed ubique coloribus pallidioribus, rufescenti-arenaceus nee fuscus. 



Adult Female (Benisouf ) . Differs from Athene noctua only in having the brown coloration of tbe upper 

 parts much paler, and of a sandy rufous tinge, the brown markings on the underparts also being much 

 paler and more rufescent; soft parts as in Athene noctua. Total length about 8"25 inches, culmen - 75, 

 wing 6*1, tail 31, tarsus 1*25. 



Adult Male. Resembles the female, but is rather smaller in size. 



The present bird can scarcely be considered as belonging to a very distinct species, being rather 

 a desert or pale form of the common European Little Owl, having, however, a distinct range ; 

 and though very closely allied to Athene noctua, yet it is quite deserving of specific separation. 



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