ATHENE RUFA, Gould. 
Rufous Owl. 
Athene ruf a, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, February 24, 1846. 
Ngor-gorh, Aborigines of Port Essington. 
A SINGLE specimen of this fine Owl was obtained at Port Essington by Mr. Gilbert, who shot it in a thicket 
amidst the swamps in the neighbourhood of the settlement. It is a most powerful species, fully equalling 
in size the Athene strenua, from which however it is at once, distinguished by the more rufous tint of its 
plumage and by the more numerous and narrower barring of the breast. No other specimen was procured 
during Mr. Gilbert's residence in the colony, neither have the collections transmitted from that locality 
since his departure furnished us with additional examples. 
Facial disc dark brown ; all the upper surface dark brown, crossed by numerous narrow bars of reddish 
brown ; the tints becoming paler and the barrings larger and more distinct on the lower part of the body, 
wings and tail ; all the under surface sandy red, crossed by numerous bars of reddish brown ; the feathers 
of the throat with a line of brown down the centre ; vent, legs and thighs of a paler tint, with the bars more 
numerous but not so decided; bill horn-colour; cere, eyelash and feet yellow, the latter slightly clothed 
with feathers ; irides light yellow. 
The figure is of the natural size. 
