Birds of Celebes: Strigidae. 
113 
Adult. Much like S. flammm in coloration (see description of 8. fkimmea rosenhergi, antea], 
but easily distinguishable by its much more slender tarsi (girth of tarsus a little above 
the foot 23 mm, as against 34 mm in rosenhergi), lower third bare; under surface 
wliite, washed with buff on the chest, narrowly fruiged with brown on the frill, and 
sparsely marked with small brown spots on the lower parts (Cebu, Oct. 1879 — 
Xr. 8269). Bill and cere pinky white; legs and feet bluish brown; irides deep brown; 
claws horny, tinged with bluish (Davison 0). 
Nestling. The young of 8. camlida is tawny, of 8. flammea white (Grid. IV). Covered with 
long filamentous down of a dull orange-buff colour; the feathers of the upper parts, 
as far as developed, of a dark brown colour, spotted near the end of the shaft of 
tlie feathers with white, the basal parts of the dorsal plumes bright orange (Sharpe 5). 
Measurements, c? ^cl. Wing 335 nun; tail 135; tarsus 81; bill 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 8. flam^nm: 42 X 32.5 mm (Hume 14)', Australia — wliite, but have a 
shght bluish tinge; oval, rather swollen about the centre: 43 X 32 (Xorth 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 8, IV, etc.); Tenasseiim — Tonghoo (Lloyd 7, 10)-, S. China 
(Pickett 18)', Formosa (Swinh. di, 6); Phili23pines — Luzon (.lagor c J, Steerefo); 
Cebu (Meyer, Mus. Dresd. , b i); Siquijor (Steere 15)', Calamianes (Bourns & 
Worcester 19)', Celebes — Luwn, Gridf of Boni (Weber 77); Australia — Queens- 
land and Xew South AVales (Diggles el, Ramsay ii); Fiji Islands — Viti Levu 
^Kleinschm. f 1, 16, Parr 8). 
The right of this s^jecies, 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 helps to fill up a gap in the anomalous distribution of the 
species; and it may also be expected to turn up in other localities, w^here 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 S. amauro- 
nota by Prof. Cabanis; and in the same year Mv. Swinhoe found it in For- 
mosa and called it 8. pithecops. Shortly after, it turned up in Queensland, only 
to be named Strix walleri by Mr. Diggles; and now its last appearance, in the 
Fiji Islands, has gained it the additional cognomen of S. oustaleti” (J- 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 -S', flammea in general coloration, -8. Candida differs much 
Meyei’ & Wigleswortli, Birds of Celebes (Get. 15ih, 1S97). |5 
