KETOX ODIOSA, Sclater.
W .Earb deL eblith/.
NINOX ODIOSA, Sclater.
New-Britain Hawk-Owl.
Nmoa temute (?), Ramsay, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.'S . W. i. p. 389 (1876).
Nmoa odiosa, Sclater, P. Z. S. 1877, p. Ì08.—S a lv a i Ann. Mns. Civic. Genov, an. p. 41 (18? i|g |R am s a y , Proc.
Linn. Soc. N. S. W. ili. p. 249 (18 7 9 ).— Salvad. Orn. Papuasia, etc. i. p. 86 (18 8 0 ).—Id. Atti R. Accad.
Torin. xvi. p. 620 ( 1881) .—Gurney, Ibis, 1882, p. 131,^-Salvad. Orn. Papuasia, etc. iii. p. 511 (1882).
T h e original specimen of this Owl was sent from New Britain by the Rev. George Brown, and since the
arrival o f the first example, several more have been procured by Lieut. Richards, Mr. Kleinschmidt, Dr. Finsch,
and others ; but it appears to have been found only in New Britain, and not in any o f the adjacent groups o f
islands. .
As suggested by Dr. Sclater in his description o f the species, there can be no doubt that in many respects
the present bird is allied to N . punctuhta o f Celebes; but there are many points o f difference that they
cannot be confounded together. In the Celebean bird the back is spotted, as well as the head, and there are
none o f the white marks on the scapulars and wing-coverts which are conspicuous in N . odiosa. Underneath,
the finely striated breast and abdomen distinguish the latter species from the thickly mottled and barred under
surface o f N . punctulata.
The following is the description o f the adult m a l e .
General colour above pale chocolate-brown, nearly uniform ; the scapulars with concealed bars o f white and
longitudinal ovate markings o f the same on the outer webj^ he rump and upper taihcoverts with a few minute
spots or bars o f pale ruddy brown ; wing-coverts nearly uniform, with a few spots and small bars o f white,
larger and more conspicuous on the greater series, which have the same ovate markings as the scapulars ;
bastard wing pale chocolate-brown, the primary-coverts rather more dusky brown, both series being perfectly
uniform ; quills dusky brown, externally pale chocolate, with a few spots o f white on the edge o f the outer and
inner webs; head and nape dull umber-brown, profusely spotted with rather narrow bars o f brownish white;
nasal plumes brown with blackish centres; above the eye a broad streak of white ; feathers below the eye also
whitish; the ear-coverts chocolate-brown, barred with blackish and having whitish shaft-lines ; throat white,
the feathers on the sides o f the throat having blackish tips and forming a disk; remainder of under surface
white the feathers centred with narrow brown streaks, somewhat widening towards the ends ; sides o f breast
chocolate-brown, mottled with spots and bars of white ; thighs dull white, slightly streaked on the upper parts
with chocolate; under wing-coverts white with chocolate-brown tips ; axillaries and under wing-coverts white,
mottled with chocolate-brown on the edge o f the wing, the lower series dusky brown barred internally with
yellowish white, thus resembling the lower surface o f the quills ; “ Bill ash-colour; feet drab ; ins yellow”
(Richards). Total length 10 inches, culmen 0'8, wing 6-4, tail 4-2, tarsus 1-3.
The specimen is one which Mr. Ramsay lent to u s ; it is a male procured by Captain Richards in New
Britain on the 30th o f July, 1879, and is represented in the Plate o f the full size. The description is taken
from the same specimen. [R B S ]