BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 11 



yellowish. Dimensions in iiam. : — Length, 290; bill, 21; wing, 

 203; tail, 123; tarsus, 38. 



Female. — Similar in plumage. Dimensions in mm. : — Length, 

 280; bill, 22; wing, 200; tail, 123; tarsus, 33. 



Nest. — A hollow spout of a tree. 



Egigrs.— Clutch, two usually; nearly round in shape; some- 

 what fine in texture, and slightly glossy ; the shell is often a little 

 granulated ; colour white. Dimensions in mm. of a pair : — (1) 40 x 

 34, (2) 40.5 X 34. 



Breeding Season. — October to December. 



Geographical Distribution. — Tasm.ania, King Island, New 

 South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and South Queensland. 



Observations. — Whether this or the Chestnut-faced Owl is the 

 more plentiful is hard to say. It is very generally distributed 

 throughout the island. That this the Spotted Owl is the author 

 of the famiHar night cry of " Mo-poke '" is now firmly estabhshed. 

 I myself have had demonstration going far to prove that the cry 

 is not uttered by the Tawny Podargus or Frogmouth. 



Some few years ago a Spotted Owl was captured at sea some 

 fifty miles of£ the Hunter Islands. The skin of this bird I have now 

 in my possession. 



FAMILY-STRIGID/E (1 species). 



*CHESTNUT-FACBD OWL (Barn Owl) 

 {Strix castanops, Gould). 



Male. — Facial disc chestnut, becoming deeper towards the 

 margin, and encircled with black; upper surface, wings, and tail 

 rufous-brown, irregularly marked with dark brown; a few small 

 spots of white on the head and shoulders; under surface pale 

 brown, with numerous round spots of very deep brown. Dimen- 

 sions in mm. : — Length, 366; bill, 35; wing, 330; tail, 148; tarsus, 

 61. 



Female. — Similar in plumage, but larger in size. 



Nest. — A hole in a tree, or a broken spout in all probability. 



Eggs. — Undescribed. 



Breeding Season. — Unknown. 



Geographical Distribution. — Tasmania, New South Wales, Vic- 

 toria, and South Australia. 



Observations. — Why this handsome Owl should be shot on 

 sight by most country people is hard to understand, considering 

 the good it does in destroyin^g rats and mice. There is hardly a 

 district where this species is not found, but at the same time it is 

 nowhere plentiful. The colour on the under surface varies from 

 dull brownish to dirty- white. 



