A THEN E RUFA, Gould.
Rufous Owl.
Athene rufa, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., February 24, 1846.
Nf/or-gorlc, Aborigines of Port Essiugton.
A s in g l e specimen o f this fine Owl was obtained at P o rt Essington by Mr. Gilbert, who shot it in a thicket
amidst the swamps in the neighbourhood of the settlement. I t is a most powerful species, fully equalling
in size the Athene strenua, from which however it is at once distinguished by the more rufous tint of its
plumage and by the more numerous and narrower barring o f the breast. No other specimen was procured
during Mr. Gilbert’s residence in the colony, neither have the collections transmitted from that locality
since his departure furnished us with additional examples.
Facial disc dark brown ; all the upper surface dark brown, crossed by numerous narrow bars o f reddish
brown ; the tints becoming paler and the barrings larger and more distinct on the lower part o f the body,
wings and t a il; all the under surface sandy red, crossed by numerous bars o f reddish brown ; the feathers
o f the throat with a line of brown down the centre ; vent, legs and thighs o f a paler tint, with the bars more
numerous but not so decided; bill horn-colour; cere, eyelash and feet yellow, the latter slightly clothed
with feathers ; irides light yellow.
The figure is of the natural size.