THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
Ninox macgiUivrayi Macgillivray, Emu, Vol. XIII., p. 153, 1914 (N.Q.). 
Distribution. Australia : Tasmania. [New Zealand, Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands.] 
Adult female. Greneral colour of the upper-surface pale earth-brown, the feathers on the 
head, back, scapulars and upper wing-coverts irregularly marked with spots or 
blotches of white ; bastard-wing and primary-coverts like the back banded with 
darker brown, as are also the primary- and secondary-quills, both of the latter have 
large ovate white spots on the inner webs, the second, third, fourth and fifth 
primaries are incised on the outer webs ; the upper tail-coverts have a somewhat 
rufous tinge and contrasts rather with the back ; tail similar to the back, with pale 
spots or bars on the inner webs of the feathers and pale edgings at the tips ; fore-head 
and feathers in front and above the eye white ; eyelids, hinder cheeks and ear- 
coverts brown with hair-like black tips ; cheeks and chin white ; throat isabelline, 
with blackish shaft-tips to the feathers ; fore-neck, breast and abdomen rufous- 
brown, the feathers broadly margined with white, the white increasing in extent 
on abdomen, lower flanks and under tail-coverts ; thighs and tarsi almost uniform 
pale fawn colour ; under wing-coverts similar to the rest of the under-surface but 
somewhat paler, the greater series and quiU-lining dark brown, barred or blotched 
with white, which fades into grey at the tips of the primaries ; lower aspect of 
the tail-feathers rather paler than the quill-lining. Bill and cere blue-grey ; eyes 
brown ; feet blue-grey. Total length 260 mm. ; culmen 17, wing 229, tail 132, 
tarsus 36. Figured. Collected on Parry’s Creek, North-west Australia, on the 
17th of February, 1909. 
Adult female. Upper-surface including the head, back, wings and tail chocolate-brown, 
with pale spots to the feathers on the hind-neck and white spots on the scapulars 
and upper wing-coverts ; bastard-wing like the back with buff on the outer edges ; 
primary-coverts darker and more uniform ; primary- and secondary-quills brown 
barred with smoke-brown and ovate white spots on the inner webs, the second, 
third, fourth and fifth primaries marked with bufi on the outer webs towards the 
tips ; tail chocolate-brown with smoke-brown spots on the middle feathers and 
bars on the lateral feathers more particularly on the inner webs, the bars paler 
and inchning to white towards the base ; base of fore-head, fore part of cheeks and 
throat white with black bristly tips ; the feathers surrounding the eye dusky-brown ; 
sides of neck and fore-neck dark tawny-brown, with dark shaft-lines to some of the 
feathers and ochreous margins to the feathers generally on these parts as well as those 
on the fore-part of the head and bordering the hinder ear-coverts ; remainder of the 
under-surface bright tawny-brown, the feathers broadly margined with white, some 
of those on the sides of the body and lower flanks have large twin spots of white ; 
under wing-coverts ochreous buff, more or less marked with central brown streaks 
to the feathers, the greater series and quill-lining brown with buffy-white markings. 
Bill and cere dark blue, culmen horn ; eyes yellowish-brown, feet greyish. Total 
length 390 mm. ; culmen 18, wing 245, tail 142, tarsus 43. Figured. Collected 
at Middle River, Kangaroo Island, on the 18th of October, 1905, and is the type of 
Ninox boobook halmaturina. 
Adult male. Entire upper-surface uniform dark dusky-brown, with a few fairly large 
obscured spots of white on the scapulars, larger on the upper wing-coverts and more 
regular on the inner webs of the primary- and secondary-quills ; primary- and 
secondary-quills somewhat paler brown than the back, with a trace of smoke- 
brown bars which are paler on the outer webs of the outer primaries ; tail uniform 
brown ; the feathers above and in front of the eye dull white at the base with 
brown tips to those immediately above the eye, and black hair-like tips to those in 
front of the eye and on the chin ; fore-neck, breast, and remainder of the under- 
surface deep chocolate-brown, the feathers spotted, margined, or barred with 
white, the white markings small on the breast and large on the abdomen, where 
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