Order STRIGES.] 
[Eam. STRIGIDiE. 
SPILOGLAUX NOV/E ZEALANDIiE, 
(NEW-ZEALAND OWL, OR MOREPORK.) 
New-Zealand Owl , Lath. Gen. Syn. i. p. 149 (1781). 
Strix novce seelandice, Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 296 (1788, ex Lath.). 
Strix fulva, Lath. Ind. Orn. i. p. 65 (1790). 
Noctua zelandica , Quoy & Gaim. Yoy. de l’Astrol. Zool. i. p. 168, t. 2. fig. 1 (1830). 
Athene novce seelandice, Gray, Yoy. Ereb. & Terror, p. 2 (1844). 
Athene novce zealandice, Gray, Cat. Brit. Mus. Accipitr. p. 52 (1844). 
Noctua venatica, Peale, U. S. Expl. Exp. p. 75 (1848). 
Sjoiloglaux novce seelandice, Kaup, Isis, 1848, p. 768. 
leracjlaux novce zealandice , Kaup, Tr. Zool. Soc. iv. p. 218 (1852). 
Native names. 
Ruru, Koukou, and Peho ; “ Morepork ” of the colonists. 
Ad. supra chocolatinus, scapularibus maculis fulvis plus minusve celatis notatis : loris, genis anticis et supercilio 
distincto fulvescentibus : regione auriculari chocolating : tectricibus alarum medianis et majoribus extus 
fulvo vel albo maculatis : remigibus brunneis, extus albo maculatis, et saturate brunneo transfasciatis : cauda 
supra brunnea, subtus pallidiore, fasciis distinctis saturate brunneis transnotata : collo laterali et corpore 
subtus toto l;:ete fulvis, medialiter late brunneo striatis : abdomine imo, bypochondriis et subcaudalibus 
pulchre albo marmoratis : cruribus et tarsorum plumis lsete ferrugineis : rostro nigro, culmine albicante : 
pedibus flavis, digitis setis nigricantibus indutis : iride aureo-flava. 
Adult male. Crown of the head and all the upper parts dark umber-brown, obscurely spotted on the scapulars 
and wing-coverts with fulvous white ; lores and region of the bill white, with black produced filaments ; 
forehead, fore neck, and upper part of the breast light fulvous, mixed with brown ; underparts generally 
fulvous, with triangular spots of dark brown disposed in rows and blending ; under tail-coverts fulvous 
barred with white ; quills and tail-feathers dark brown obscurely banded, the former touched on the outer 
webs with fulvous white ; feathers covering the tarsi fulvous. Irides golden yellow ; toes yellow, with dark 
hairs ; bill black, white on the ridge. Length 12'5 inches ; extent of wings 25 ; wing, from flexure, 8 ; tail 
575 ; bill, along the ridge 1, along the edge of lower mandible 75 ; tarsus 1'5 ; middle toe and claw 1-25. 
Female. The female is slightly smaller, and the markings of the plumage are less distinct than in the male. 
Nestling. A nestling obtained at Westland (and apparently a fortnight old) is covered with thick, fluffy down, 
of a sooty-brown colour, with loose white filaments ; inclined to tawny on the underparts, and whiter on 
the sides of the head and neck; bill dark brown, with a whitish ridge; legs and feet yellow. They 
assume the full plumage before quitting the nest. 
Fledgling. In my collection there are two specimens of different ages : — 
No. 1 has the forehead, chin, and sides of the face destitute of feathers ; the crown of the head and all 
the upper surface sooty brown, or almost black, without any light markings ; the plumage extremely 
soft and fluffy, with the downy white filaments still adhering to it, and more abundantly on the head, neck, 
and rump; underparts sooty brown, mixed with fulvous ; on the thighs thick fluffy plumage of a dull tawny 
