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Birds of Celebes: Asionidae. 
This species — peculiar, so far as is yet known, to the Island of Celebes 
— has a near ally in Ninox (Cephaloptfnos) granti Sharpe of Guadalcanal’ in the 
Solomon Islands, which has the mantle unspotted, the under surface much more 
distinctly barred, and the fore part of the thighs brown, by which means, as 
Dr. E. B. Sharpe points out, it may he distinguished from the Celehesian 
species (6, 7). Another species probably closely allied is the Ninox odiosa Sclat. 
of New Britain, which differs, according to Sclat er and Salvador!, from 
C. puncMata in being considerably larger, in having the brown of the upper 
surface paler and duller and the sjiots much larger, and in its wanting the line 
of white or fulvous down the middle of the imder surface (3,4). A young 
specimen in down in the Dresden Mus. (Nr. 13051) shows the same distinguishing 
characters, besides it has the whole under surface broadly barred. Although 
the genus Ninox is found from India and Japan throughout the intervening- 
countries as far as Australia and New Zealand, and also in Madagascar, it 
contains many aberrant forms, one of which is the Celehesian N. punctulata, 
which served as type for Kaup’s genus Cephaloptgnx and now finds its nearest 
allies in New’ Britain and the Solomon Islands. It is quite possible that other 
nearly related species may yet be found in the intervening countries as well as 
in the great islands to the west of Celebes, but in any case the occurrence of an 
Owl in an out-of-the-way part of the wmrld has no real zoo-geographical worth. ! 
Owls, in consequence of their nocturnal habits, of their thick, fluffjr plumage 
and lightness of weight, buoyant flight, and their powerlessness to bear up 
against a strong head-wind, are more liable than most species to distribution 
by wind and storms. This may explain the occurrence of Strix flammea and of 
Otiis brachgotus on certain remote islands of the Pacific, as well as their being- 
distributed over the greater part of the world besides. 
Nothing is known of the food or nidification of C. punctulata. 
Attention may be drawn to the resemblance of the plumage of this 
species to certain neotropical members of the genus Glaucidium — especially 
Glaucidhmi jardini Bp. of New Granada — but which is much smaller. 
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GENUS SCOPS Say. 
The Scops Owls are of small size, furnished wdth small “ear”-tufts; bill 
rather weak, cere long (about Vs the entire length of the bill), laterally swollen 
to enclose the nostrils; tarsus feathered; toes generally naked (sometimes 
feathered above), not bristly; w'ings rather long; tail moderate, rounded; plu- 
mage highly variegated and vermiculated. Feeds on insects a.nd small 
mammals. Eggs 4 — 6. Some 25 species, inhabiting the tropical and temperate 
parts of all the continents, but absent in Australia. i 
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