Birds of Celebes: Strigidae. 
113 
Adult. Much like S. flammea in coloration (see description of S. flcnnmea rosenbergi, antea), 
hut easily distinguishahle by its much more slender tarsi (girth of tarsus a little above 
the foot 23mm, as against 34 mm in rosenbergi)^ lower third bare; under surface 
white, washed with buff on the chest, narrowly fringed with brown on the frill, and 
sparsely marked with small brown spots on the lower parts (Cebu, Oct. 1879 
Nr. 8269). Bill and cere pinky white; legs and feet bluish brown; irides deep brown; 
claws horny, tinged with bluish (Davison 9). 
Nestling. The young of S. Candida is tawny, of S. flammea white (Grid. IV). Covered with 
long filamentous down of a dull orange-buff colour; the feathers of the upper parts, 
us far as developed, of a dark brown colour, spotted near the end of the shaft of 
the feathers with white, the basal parts of the dorsal plumes bright orange (Sharpe 5). 
Measurements, ad. 'Wing 335 mm; tail 135; tarsus 84; hill from gape 48; total length 
in the flesh 376; expanse 1155; weight 14 oz. (Davison 9). 
Egg. India — 4 or 5. Pure white, with very little gloss, and of a more elongated oval 
than those of S. flammea: 42 X 32.5 mm (Hume 14)\ Australia — white, hut have a 
slight bluish tinge; oval, rather swollen about the centre: 43 X 32 (North 12). 
Nest. Little or none, at most a little grass scattered and smoothed down in the midst of 
heavy grass-jungle; always on the ground. — India (Tickell 14). 
Breeding season. October — December: India (Hume 14). 
Distribution. India (Jerdon 5, IF, etc.); Tenasserim — Tonghoo (Lloyd 7, 10)\ 8. China 
(Pickett 78); Formosa (Swinh. c?7, 6)\ Phihppines — Luzon (Jagor c 7, Steere75); 
Cebu (Meyer, Mus. Dresd. , b 7); Siquijor (Steere 75); Calamianes (Bourns & 
Worcester 75); Celebes — Luwu, Gulf of Boni (Weber 77); Australia — Queens- 
land and New South Wales (Higgles el, Pam say 77); Fiji Islands — Viti Levu 
(Kleinschm. f 1, 16, Parr 8). 
The right of this species, the Grass Owl of Indian naturalists, to be included 
in the Celebes list rests upon a single specimen obtained by Prof. Max Weber 
in the Luwu District at- the head of Gulf of Boni in February, 1889 (Biittik. 
17). This discovery helj)S to fill up a gap in the anomalous distribution of the 
species; and it may also be expected to turn up in other localities, where there 
is plenty of jungle-grass, between India and Australia. Hitherto its occurrences 
in widely isolated localities have led to an increase in its synonymy; as Sharpe 
remarks, “on a Philippine specimen being discovered, it was named 8. amauro- 
nota by Prof. Cabanis; and in the same year Mr. Swinhoe found it in For- 
mosa and called it 8. pithecops. Shortly after, it turned up in Queensland, only 
to be named 8tricc walleri by Mr. Higgles; and now its last appearance, in the 
Fiji Islands, has gained it the additional cognomen of 8. oustaleti” (f 2). 
Dr. Sharpe believed these unexpected occurrences to be accounted for by its 
migrations, but it is now known to be a breeding species in Australia as well 
as in India. The distribution of Owls offers many peculiarities, which set all 
zoo-geographical boundaries at naught. Its possible causes — the nocturnal ha- 
bits of these birds, the lightness of their plumage, and their liability to be 
carried by winds — are mentioned more fully elsewhere (p. 108). 
Though very like 8. flammea in general coloration, 8. Candida difi’ers much 
Meyer & Wigleswortli, Birds of Celetes (Oct. 15th, 1897). J5 
