OWL. 



333 



hide the claws. Tlie whole plumage snow white, with the exception 

 of a few scattered spots of black on the wing coverts and quills ; 

 tlie bill, which is nearly hid in the feathers of the face, and the claws 

 are black. 



We do notleani from whence this bird came, only that a specimen 

 is in the collection of M. Raye de Breidcelerwaerd, at Amsterdam. — 

 M. Temminck supposes it to be the same with the Snowy 



31.— FALCONINE OWL. 



Strix Choucou, Ind. Oni. Sup. p. xiv, Nat. Misc. pi. 990. 

 Strix Africana, Shaiv's Zool. vii. 278. 



Le Choucou, Levail. Ois.i. p. 151. pi. 38. Daud.i\. p. 186. 

 Falconine Owl, Gen. Si/n.Stip.'u. p. 61. 



THIS seems, like the Hawk Owl, a species approaching not a 

 little to the Falcon genus ; it is, however, clearly an Owl, and must 

 be ranked as such. The bill is small ; irides yellow ; plumage on 

 the upper parts pale grey brown, inclining to rufous on the crown, 

 and back part of the neck, and on the wing coverts a few white spots; 

 the greater quills like the rest of the wing', with whitish tips, and 

 reach, when closed, about half way on the tail, which is cuneiform 

 in shape, and grey brown ; all but the two middle feathers, are 

 marked on the outer webs with transverse, white lines, about twelve 

 in number, within and beneath white ; the sides of the face and eyes 

 surrounded with a ruff of white hairy feathers, covering the nostrils ; 

 under paiis of the body pure white ; the thigh feathers hang over 

 them quite to the toes, and the legs are covered with short, bristly 

 feathers, the colour black ; toes placed two and two, or three before 

 and one behind, at the will of the bird. 



