ATHENE W OODFORDI.—S m it h .
A yes..— P late LXXI.
A. supra rubro-brunneus, maculis fasciisque albis notatus, infr& pallide rubro-brunneus fasciis albis varie-
gatus; caudS. rubro-brunned septem octove fasciis pallide flavo-brunneis; rostro pedibusque flavis ;
oculis aurantiis; unguibus livido-brunneis.
Longitudo ab apice rostri ad caudas extremitatem 13 unc. 6 lin.
Noctua Woodfordi, Smith, South African Quarterly Journal.
Colour.*—The top of the head, the upper and lateral parts of the neck and
the tail intermediate between umber and reddish brown ; the body above rich
reddish brown : the feathers of the head, neck, back, and tail coverts
variegated with white spots and with white and sienna-coloured bars ; generally
only one white spot exists on each feather, which is situated towards the
apex, is of an irregular arrow-shape, and varies in size upon the different
parts of the body, being generally largest on the interscapulars and tail
coverts. The white or sienna-yellow bars are situated nearer to the quills
than the white spots, and are generally margined with brown of a deeper
shade than the ground colour; these dark margins are less distinct upon the
feathers of the head and neck than upon those of the back, &c. On the head
qnd neck there is, in general, only one bar to each feather, while on the
feathers of the other parts there are commonly two or three. Lesser quill
coverts of a colour intermediate between those of the head and back, and thev
are variegated with a few white short lines or ochrey coloured spots. Primary
quill coverts yellowish brown, lightest towards the tips, which are faintly
barred with brown of a darker tint. Secondary quill coverts yellowish brown,
variegated with narrow, irregular, dark brown bars, and large white or yellowish
white blotches; the tips of all white. Quill feathers barred brown
and yellowish brown, the brown bars of the outer vanes not directly opposite
those of the inner vanes ; some of the inner tertiaries yellowish brown barred
with brown. The feathers on the outer side of the eye dark reddish brown,
those coating the sides of the bill white at the base, umber-brown at the
points. Cervical collar white, the feathers crossed with several narrow
brown bars. The colour of the breast and belly, as the feathers lie smooth
upon the bird, appears to be pale reddish brown and white in alternate bars,