THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
White Cockatoos about the hollow, but the Owls were the ultimate possessors. 
That they were able to dispossess more formidable antagonists was shown 
in one case where their eggs were found in the freshly-lined hollow of Micro- 
glossus aterrimus. On two occasions Little White Cockatoos had their nesting 
hollow in the same tree as a pair of Owls. The soft parts of this Owl are as 
follows : cere greenish, bill horn colour, feet yellow.” 
In the Austr. Mus. Spec. Cat., No. 1, Vol. III., p. 308, Mr. M’Lennan’s 
notes as to the egg-laying and nesting of the Cape York bird are given in 
more detail, and from that place I quote Mr. Keartland’s note : “ The 
Western Winking Owl {Ninox occidentalis) is usually seen in pairs in the 
bushes or thick scrub on the margin of the rivers and streams of North- 
western Australia. Although nocturnal birds, they appear to see well in the 
brightest sunlight. I shot one of a pair near the Fitzroy River, and had to 
chase its mate from tree to tree for some time before securing it. It appeared 
to see me quite well enough to make its escape before I got within shooting 
distance, and was only secured by strategy. They feed on small animals, birds, 
lizards, insects, and frogs. I never heard them utter a note of any kind.” 
The species connivens was recognised from Australia until 1875, when 
Salvador! distinguished the Cape York form as a distinct species under the 
name Ninox peninsularis, though obviously this was only a smaller and 
darker race. It was at once recognised by Sharpe when he received a specimen 
collected by the “ Alert ” Expedition. It was Justly regarded as a sub- 
species only by Ramsay in 1888, of the same status as his own race Ninox 
connivens — occidentalis, which he had described two years before from Derby, 
North-west Australia. While these three are more or less easily recognisable, 
the birds occupying the intervening country. Northern Territory and North 
Queensland, are so variable and show such intermediate characters that 
Hartert called them occidentalis, Sharpe named them peninsularis, and North 
determined them to be true connivens. I proposed to call them suboccidentalis 
and treat them as a distinct race, and so scientifically settle the matter. 
In my List of the Birds of Australia I conservatively rejected the last-named 
race, using the name occidentalis to cover all the North-western and Northern 
Territory birds, but after due consideration I here would maintain my earlier 
conclusion as being the better plan. 
This will allow the admission of five subspecies and will display the facts 
better than any other arrangement. As above noted, the species was described 
from the Watling Drawings, which were made at Sydney, and consequently 
the type locality is New South Wales. Hence : 
Hieracoglaux connivens connivens Latham. 
New South Wales. 
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