248 



SPECTACLE 



Strix perspicillata. S. ferruginea capite coUoque albis, oculu 



ferrugineo cinctis, abdomine gilvo. 

 Ferruginous Owl, with white head and neck, eyes surrounded 



with ferruginous, and buff-coloured abdorti|ii. 

 Strix perspicillata. <S. capite Icevi fomentoso Mho, regione pe- 



riophthalmica giilaxorpore supra fasciaque pectoris rubro-fuscisy 



abdomine nfo-albo. Lath. ind. orn. 

 Spectacle Owl. Lath. syn. 



1 



This, which is a" highly elegant species, seems 

 to have been first described by Mr. Latham from 

 a specimen in the Leverian Museum. In size it 

 nearly approaches the Fuliginous Owl, measuring 

 more than twenty inches in length, but is of a 

 more slender shape: its colour is a fine deep 

 ferruginous brown above, crossed by numerous 

 black variegations or streaks, and beneath, from 

 the breast, of a plain tawny buff-colour : the brown 

 colour of the upper parts surrounds .the breast, 

 forming a very broad zone across ti^t part: the 

 head is milk-white, but the eyes are each imbedded 

 in a broad surrounding zone of brown, uniting 

 above the bill, which is of a pale yellow colour : 

 the legs are feathered to the claws with fine plumes 

 of similar colour to those of the abdomen. The 

 shape or habit of this bird somewhat approaches 

 to that of the Hawk-Owl, liaving rather a small 

 head in proportion, and a somewhat lengthened 

 tail. It is a native of South America. In the 

 elegant work of Monsieur Levaillant a specimen 



