14G STRIGID.E. 



are only sparingly clothed with hair-like feathering, which 

 allows the greyish yellow of the skin to show through to 

 such an extent that, unless closely inspected, they seem 

 quite naked ; the soles of the feet are covered with small 

 yellow warts. The tarsus measures nearly an inch and a 

 half in length, the middle toe without the claw three-fourths 

 of an inch, the claw itself nearly half an inch, and the hinder 

 toe, including the claw, three quarters of an inch. 



The hairy feathering of the face above and below the 

 eyes is white, intermixed with yellow ; the temples dusky 

 with brownish-white, and surrounding the beak it is in- 

 termixed with black, bristling feathers. The indistinct frame 

 which only surrounds the face as far as the ears, is white, 

 spotted irregularly with brown ; the top of the head and 

 back of the neck are greyish brown with oval white spots, 

 tinged with pale rufous, and larger on the back than on 

 the top of the head. The feathers of the shoulders, back, 

 rump, and the wing coverts, are greyish brown, with a 

 roundish white spot in the centre of each feather, which 

 spot is divided in the middle by the dusky shaft ; as these 

 spots are not on the tips of the feathers, they are only seen 

 in part unless ruffled, when they show very plainly. 



The tail-feathers are like those of the back, but more 

 brown than grey, with white tips, and five or six rufous-white 

 spots on their edges, which form bars on the central feathers ; 

 the quill-feathers are darker greyish brown than the back, 

 with the same square-shaped spots as the tail-feathers, the 

 inner webs are whiter. The breast and belly are white, 

 faintly tinged with rufous, and irregularly spotted or dashed 

 with brown ; these spots are larger, and consequently closer 

 together on the upper part of the breast than lower down ; 

 the vent is yellowish-white without spots, as also the 

 thighs and tarsi, the latter more tinged with rufous. The 

 under wing coverts are white, with a few brown spots ; 



