BIRDS. 
35 
of head and throat smoky brown, mottled with numerous small white dots, 
on the tips of the feathers. Back and wing-coverts the same, with the 
white spots larger and purer. Wings : primaries, same dark brown, mottled 
with dull chesnut red ; the tip of each, with the exception of the three 
first, is marked with a triangular white spot, of the same kind with those 
over the rest of the body, but larger. Tail, transversely barred with 
brown and reddish fulvous, and the extreme points mottled with white. 
Under surface. Breast, belly and lining of wings, fulvous, mottled with 
brown ; — the feathers being transversely barred with narrow brown lines. 
Under side of tail, pale gray, with well defined transverse bars of a darker 
gray. Short downy feathers on tarsi, of a brighter fulvous than the rest of 
the under surface. 
Form. — Third primary rather longer than second; first equal to third. Wing, 
exceeding the tail in length by nearly one inch and a quarter. Short 
feathers on the tarsus, extending about one-third of its length, below the 
knee. Tarsi, elongated. Toes and lower part of tarsi, with few scattered 
brown hairs. 
Total length . 
Wing 
Tail 
In. 
1 3^ Tarsi ...... 
9^ Tip of beak to rictus 
4^ Middle toe, from root of claw to base . 
Habitat, James Island, Galapagos Archipelago, {October.) 
2tV 
I am indebted to Mr. G. R. Gray for the description of this species, which is 
deposited in the British Museum. Only one specimen was obtained during our 
visit to the Galapagos Archipelago ; and this formed part of the collection made 
by the direction of Captain FitzRoy. 
This owl is in every respect a true Strix ; it is fully a third less than the 
common species of Europe, and differs from it in many respects, especially in 
the darker colouring of its plumage. The colouring of the Plate is not perfectly 
accurate in its minuter details. 
