S T M S . C A S TATS © F S : GtmU.
STRIX CASTANOPS, Gould.
Chestnut-faced Owl.
Stria: castmops, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part IV. p. 140 ; and in Syn. Birds of Australia, Part III.
V a n D ie m e n ’s L a n d is the native country of this Owl, a species distinguished from all the other members
o f the genus Stria, as now restricted, by its great size and powerful fo rm ; few o f the Raptorial birds, in
fact, with the exception of the Eagles, are more formidable or more sanguinary in disposition than the bird
here represented.
Forests of large but thinly scattered trees, skirting plains and open districts, constitute its natural habitat.
Strictly nocturnal in its habits, as night approaches it sallies forth from the hollows of the large gum-trees,
and flaps slowly and noiselessly over the plains and swamps in search o f its prey, which, as is the case with
the other members o f the genus, consists o f rats and small quadrupeds generally, numerous species of
which abound in the country wherein it is destined by nature to dwell.
I regret th at the brevity o f my stay in Van Diemen’s Laud did not admit of sufficient opportunities for
observing this bird in its native haunts, and o f making myself acquainted with the various changes which
take place in the colouring of its plumage. Much variety iu this respect exists among the specimens in my
collection ; occasioned not so much by a difference in the form of the markings, as by a difference in the
hue o f the wash o f colour which pervades the face, neck, under surface and thighs. In some specimens the
face, all the under surface and the thighs are deep rusty yellow; in others the same parts are slightly washed
with buff, while others again have the face of a dark reddish buff approaching to chestnut, and the under
surface much lig h te r ; 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 o f the adult, or
whether these changes are influenced by season, are points th at might be easily cleared up by persons
resident in Van Diemen’s Land, and I would invite those who may be favourably situated for observation to
fully investigate the subject and make known the results.
I found the white variety far less numerous than the others ; and so much smaller in size, as almost to
induce a belief th at they were distinct.
The sexes differ very considerably in size, the female being by far the largest, and in every way more
powerful than the m ale : the stroke of h er foot and the grasp of her talons must be immediate death to any
animal, from the size of the little Opossum Mouse to the largest o f the Kangaroo-rats, upon which latter
animals it is probable that future research will prove it sometimes subsists.
Fascial disc deep chestnut, becoming deeper a t the margin and encircled with b lack ; upper surface,
wings and tail fine rufous brown, each feather irregularly and broadly barred with dark brown, with a few
minute white spots on the head and shoulders; under surface uniform deep sandy brown ; sides o f the
neck and flanks sparingly marked with round blackish sp o ts ; thighs and legs the same, but destitute of
spots ; bill yellowish brown; feet light yellow.
The Plate represents the two sexes of the natural size.