STRIGIDiE. 79 



far as the cere extends, which is half its length ; from the cere to the tip it is curved and 

 somewhat compressed. The cutting margin of the upper mandible is not sinuated. The 

 lower mandible is truncated at the tip, and is obtusely notched on the side near the tip. 

 The nostrils are pretty large and nearly round. The cere is covered on the sides with 

 hair-like feathers, which curve upwards and conceal the nostrils. The eyes are small, con- 

 sidering the great size of the bird. The facial disk is large. The concha is also large, 

 of a transversely oval form, and is capable of being closed by the large flap or opercu- 

 lum which forms the posterior part of the facial disk. The margin of this operculum 

 is formed of a dense row of short brown feathers, having flattened quills. The posterior 

 border of the concha is clothed with feathers, having dense webs, soft and velvety to the touch. 

 All these are covered by the margin of the orbital disk when the ear is closed. A row of 

 brown feathers, with white or yellowish-brown tips, mixed with dark-brown, marks the auri- 

 cular ring, which, except on the forehead, completely encircles the face. The longest feathers 

 of this ring are those at the base of the lower mandible. The wings, when folded, reach within 

 four inches of the end of the tail, or as far as the points of the claws when the legs are stretched 

 out. The fourth quill feather equals the fifth, and is longer than the others ; the third is a 

 quarter of an inch, and the sixth half an inch, shorter than these ; the second is upwards of 

 an inch shorter than the third ; the seventh is two inches shorter than the sixth, and the 

 following ones diminish each in succession about three-quarters of an inch. The first is inter- 

 mediate in length between the ninth and tenth. The two first have the tips of the barbs of 

 their outer webs conspicuously recurved and separated ; and the second to the fifth inclusive 

 have their outer webs sinuated towards their points. The five first have their inner webs also 

 sinuated, and the sixth is narrowed towards the point, but not so abruptly as to produce a 

 distinct sinuation. The tail is wedge-shaped, consisting of twelve feathers, of which the outer 

 ones are more than two inches shorter than the middle ones : it is very concave below. The 

 legs are short and strong. The toes are naked beneath, but are clothed above with feathers, 

 which extend beyond the roots of the nails. There are only two scales at the root of each 

 nail. The claws are long, slender, tapering, very acute, and not much curved ; the middle 

 one is grooved beneath, has a sharp outer edge, and a very sharp inner one. The inner claw 

 has one edge partially acute ; but the hind and outer claws are nearly as much rounded be- 

 neath as those of the Osprey. The inner claw is the longest, the posterior and middle ones 

 are a little smaller, and the outer versatile one is the smallest of all. 



Length from the point of the bill to the end 

 of the tail ..... 

 „ of the tail .... 



„ of the longest quill feather 

 „ of the tarsus .... 



„ of the middle toe 



Several other specimens were brought home, some of which differ in size from 

 the preceding ; but there is no variation in the colours or distribution of the mark- 





Dimensions. 







Inches 



. Lines. 





Inches. 



Lines. 







Length of the inner fore claw 



1 



6 



24 







„ of the bill, measured on the ridge . 



1 



10 



12 







,, of the bill from the angle of the 







15 







mouth ...... 



1 



9 



2 







,, of the cere, measured on the ridge . 







10 



1 







,, of the diameter of the nostrils 







3 



