THE BIEDS OF AUSTEALIA. 
plains and swamps in search of its prey, which consists of rats and small 
quadrupeds generally. I regret that the brevity of my stay in Tasmania 
did not admit of sufficient opportunities for observing this bird in its 
native haunts, and of making myself acquainted with the various changes 
which take place in the colouring of its plumage. Considerable variety in 
this respect occurred among the specimens I collected, not so much in the 
form of the markings as in the hue which pervades the face, neck, under- 
surface and thighs. In some these were deep rusty yellow ; in others the 
same parts were slightly washed with buff, while others, again, had the 
face of a dark reddish buff approaching to chestnut, and the under-surface 
much lighter. I have also seen others with the facial feathers lighter than 
those of the body, and, lastly, some with the face and all the under-surface 
pure white, with the exception of the black spots which are to be found in 
all. Whether the white or the tawny plumage is the characteristic of the 
adult, or whether these changes are influenced by season, are points that 
might be easily cleared up by persons resident in Tasmania ; and I would 
invite those who may be favourably situated for observation to fuUy 
investigate the subject, and make known the results. The sexes differ very 
considerably in size, the female being by far the larger, and in every way 
more powerful than the male.” 
Of Strix novceJiollandim Gould observed : “ This bird, although nearly 
allied to the preceding, differs in so many essential characters as to leave 
little doubt in my mind of its being specifically distinct. It is confined to 
the continent of Australia, over which it enjoys a wide range. With the 
exception of the north coast, I have received specimens from every part of 
the country. During my visit to the interior of South Australia, numerous 
individuals fell to my gun, which upon comparison presented no material 
variation from others killed in New South Wales and Western Australia, 
If I were puzzled with respect to the changes to which the Strix castano-ps 
is apparently subject, I am not less so with those of the present bird ; for 
although I find the tawny and buff colouring of the face and under-surface 
is generally lighter, I also find a diversity in the colouring of the different 
parts of the under-surface ; in some specimens the face, all the under- 
surface, and the ground-colour of the upper are pure white. Prior to my 
visit to Australia I characterized specimens thus coloured as a distinct 
species under the name Strix cyclops, but I now believe them to be one of 
the states of plumage of the present bird, which ornithologists are inclined 
to consider was first described by Stephens under the name of S. novoehollandice. 
I may remark that, out of the numerous examples I killed in South Australia 
in the month of June, I did not meet with one in the white plumage. . . . 
378 
