26 
Mr. R. Swinhoe on the Ornithology 
is markedly smaller than birds similarly coloured received from 
Foochow. The native name is Ning-long-chay. I find that 
the bird procured, which I forward for Mr. Sclater’s examination, 
is a mature specimen; and it therefore appears that either this 
species has a second year’s moult, when it loses all the yellowish 
bands and markings, or that I have confounded two species 
under one denomination. 
I extract the notes in my journal made on the fresh mature 
male above mentioned:—Bill greenish or dusky yellow. Iris clear 
golden king’s-yellow. Legs chrome-yellow, with stiff bristles; 
claws pale yellowish at the base and brown towards the tips. 
Crura of furculum only ossified for about one-half of their length, 
and joined by a cartilaginous arch. Tibial tendons very rigid. 
Testicles not large, somewhat kidney-shaped, and yellowish. 
Proventriculus ■§ in. across; gizzard round and flattened, flanked 
on each side with a strong radiating muscle, about 1-| in. in 
diameter, and lined inside with a fixed rugose cuticle. Intestines 
16 inches long : caeca situate about 1-J-in. from anus; right caecum 
2-f, left 2 in. in length, both enlarging at their ends into black, 
semitransparent bulbs. 
8. Otus brachyotus (Gm.). Cantonese, “ Maou taou ying” 
(Cat’s-head Hawk). 
This tawny Owl, with black spots and well-defined facial disc, 
was also brought alive to me in Canton. It is a species I have 
never before met with in China. Length in.; wing 18 in. from 
curvature ; tail 6. Bill black, with a pale tip. Iris bright golden 
yellow. Legs and feet covered with ochreous feathers, with the 
ends of the toes naked and of a pale blackish flesh-colour; claws 
sharp and blackish brown. Tibial tendons very rigid. Testicles 
like two small white eggs, placed with their ends pointing in dif¬ 
ferent directions. Proventriculus 1 in. in length by ^ in breadth, 
granulated, and contracting somewhat at the mouth of the gizzard, 
which is roundish, about 1 in. in diameter, soft and flabby, lined 
with a fixed network-furrowed cuticle. The stomach contained a 
thick yellow juice and a few fish-bones. Intestines 18^ in. long : 
caeca about 1 in. from anus; left caecum 2f, right 2f in. in length, 
the first bulging much more at the end than the second. 
