MASKED OWL. 
T. novoehollandicB ? If so, those with the white facial disc must stand as 
T. Cyclops (Gould), and those with the chestnut face as T. novcehollandicB 
(Stephens).” 
Eothschild and Hartert did not attempt to explain the variation met 
with in any way, though it has puzzled most workers. They simply wrote : 
“ Last of all, we come to Tyto novoehollandicB castanops from Tasmania. 
This subspecies is supposed to be very distinct, so that it was even kept 
separate by Sharpe in 1875 {Cat. B. Brit Mus., Vol. II., p. 305), who had, a 
few pages before, united T. a. ‘ flammea ’ (Auct.) from Central Europe, 
T. a. alba from the Mediterranean, insularis, poensis, indica, delicatula, 
pratincola (!), furcata (!), punctatissima, etc., etc., etc. We quite agree that 
castanops must be separated as a subspecies on account of the generally 
more orange-buff upper-side, generally dark brownish under-side, brown facial 
disc, and averaging larger size. There are, however, specimens with the 
upper-side quite as in typical novoehollandicB, while others have the under- 
side almost whitish and the facial disc much lighter. Wings ^ 318 or 320, 
$ 350-370 mm.” 
As noted above, Gould described castanops and cyclops-, the one with 
brown face and the other with white face. It mav be well to use these 
*/ 
names for the phases. The facts can then be recounted thus. In Tasmania 
a large Owl occurs peculiarly castanops, but recent researches have revealed 
that the cyclops phase also occurs there rarely. In Victoria castanops 
more rarely is found, while the cyclops phase appears to predominate. In 
New South Wales the cyclops phase is certainly in the majority, though the 
castanops phase seems to be found also. To the north, the castanops 
phase quite disappears and only the cyclops remains. In South Australia 
cyclops certainly occurs, though Gould only reported the castanops phase 
which, however, he referred to the cyclops species. From West Australia 
the cyclops phase is only known, but it shows an intermediate stage between 
this and castanops. From North-west Australia only the true cyclops 
phase is found, while Melville Island appears to be tenanted by the castanops 
phase. 
From Melville Island I have two specimens, an immature and an adult, 
both of which belong to the castanops phase, but the former is darker and it 
is obvious that the adult is a paler bird. From the Northern Territory two 
birds have been examined from the Tring Collection, and while the adult is pure 
white underneath and lacks buff above, the younger bird is buffy above and 
heavily spotted below, showing the transition. From Victoria I have two 
specimens, an immature and an adult : the immature is the castanops phase, 
and the adult is the cyclops phase. Other specimens show the same 
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