64 Messrs. A. and E. Newton's Observations 
viduals vary very greatly in the size of their bills. Specimens 
from St. Croix are in the Norfolk and Norwich Museum. A 
female, killed March 12th, 1857, had the skin of the chin of a 
bright straw-colour plainly showing through the feathers. The 
name by which this bird is known in the island sounds like a 
good imitation of its cry. 
“ May 6th, 1858.—On sending a negro up a Thibet Tree 
(.Acacia lebbek, W.) to examine a hole, in which I had been told a 
young Owl had been found last year, out flew a female e Killie- 
killie/ and perched immediately on a tree close by. In the 
hole were three eggs, laid without any nest, as the man informed 
me. They are very like those of our own Kestrel, but do not 
seem ever to have the crimson colouring, and are of course very 
much smaller."—E. N. 
4. Bare-legged Owl. Gymnoglaux nudipes , Cabanis, 
Journ. f. Ornith. 1855, p. 466. Striae nudipes , Baud., Vieill. 
(pi.), Shaw et Latham, nec Nilsson & Gould. (Plate I.) 
This bird, so scarce in collections, seems to be the only Owl 
found in the island; and there even, its existence is known but 
to few. It appears to be very local, and to be confined to the 
so-called gardens" by the sides of the streams, which are shaded 
by thick groves of Mangoes and Mammees, probably because in 
these places only it finds the shelter and retirement it needs; 
but it is possible that here it may not be uncommon, as amongst 
the dense foliage it may easily escape notice. 
“ A young bird, nearly full-grown, but still covered with down, 
was sent to me alive on May 30th, 1857, by the manager of the 
Great Fountain Estate, where it had been taken the previous day, 
in a hollow tree,—there being no nest or other bird with it. I 
kept it in a cage until June 23rd, during which time it hardly 
changed in its appearance, except that the quill-feathers showed 
themselves. It was peevish in its temper, and showed its dis¬ 
pleasure by snapping its bill and uttering guttural sounds. It 
displayed none of the activity which so distinguishes some of 
the small Owls of Europe, but would sit, even at night, sulkily 
dozing on its perch. If a finger were held towards it, it would 
take no notice until it came within easy reach of its beak or claws, 
when the approach was resented by a vicious attack. If the 
