ATHENE BOOBOOK.
Boobook Owl.

Strix Boobook, Lath. Ind. Orn. Suppl., p. xv. no. 9.—Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. vii. p. 269
Boobook Owl, Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. i. p. 362. no, 66.—Id. Gen. Syn. oe ee
Noctua Boobook, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 188, :

Athene Boobook, Gould in Syn. Birds of Australia, Part I.

Buck-buck, Aborigines of New South Wales.

Goor-goor-da, Aborigines of Western Australia.

Mel-in-de-ye, Aborigines of Port Essington.

Koor-koo, Aborigines of South Australia.

Brown or Cuckoo- Owl of the Colonists.

oy WO, tu p. 64,

 

I wave seen individuals of this Owl from every one of the Australian colonies, all presenting similar
characters, with the exception of those from Port Essington, which differ from the others in being a trifle
smaller in size and paler in colour. :

In Van Diemen’s Land this species is seldom seen, while it is very common throughout the whole length
of the southern coast of the continent. It appears to inhabit alike the brushes and the plains, that is, those
plains which are studded with belts of trees. It is no unusual occurrence to observe it on the wing in the
day-time in search of insects and small birds, upon which it mainly subsists. It may be readily distinguished
from Athenxe maculata by its larger size, and by the spotted markings of its plumage ; features which will be
at once perceived by a reference to the figures of the two species.

The flight of this bird is tolerably rapid, and as it passed through the shrubby trees that cover the vast
area of the belts of the Murray, it strongly reminded me of a woodcock. In such places as those I have last
mentioned, travellers frequently flush it from off the ground, to which, after a flight of one or two hundred
yards, it either descends again or takes shelter in any thickly-foliaged trees that may be at hand, when it can
neither be easily seen nor forced from its retreat.

It breeds in the holes of the large gum-trees, during the months of November and December, and lays
three eggs on the rotten surface of the wood, without any kind of nest. Three egos procured on the 8th
of November, by my useful companion Natty, were in a forward state of incubation; their contour was un-
usually round, the medium length of the three being one inch and seven lines, and the breadth one inch and
four lines. ‘They were perfectly white, as is ever the case with the eggs of owls.

‘The native name of this bird,” says Mr. Caley, ‘is Buck-buck, and it may be heard nearly every night
during winter uttering a cry corresponding with the sound of that word: Although this cry is oD to
every one, yet the bird itself is known but to few; and it cost me considerable time and tone Deron [
could satisfy myself of its identity. The note of the bird is somewhat Sailer to that of ae European
Cuckoo, and the colonists have hence given it that name. ‘The lower order of settlers in Me South Wales
are led away by the idea that everything is the reverse in that country to what it Is ss England ; and the
Cuckoo, as they call this bird, simging by night is one of the instances they point out.” I believe that its
note is never uttered during the day-time. a

The sexes offer but little difference in the colouring of their plumage, but the Hotes is the a in
A great diversity is found to exist i the colouring of the irides ; some being yellowish white, others
greenish yellow, and others brown. oe : : oe fantariee one

Its food is very much varied, but consists principally of small birds and insects of various orders,

NI * ye
particularly locusts and other Neuroptera. | el ae
i i i revyis hite, each fe: * tipped with Diack; hinder part dark ;
Fore part of the facial disc greyish white, each feather tip] ack ; Ef : :
head. all the upper surface, wings and tail reddish brown; the wing-coverts, scapularies, and inner webs
a s ; ‘ a” . . . a es > on.
oe fe 1 -hite: primaries and tail-feathers irregularly barred with light reddish
of the secondaries spotted with white; primaries gularh ae
he bars becoming buffy white on the under surface; breast and all the unde:
brown, the spaces between the bars bec 2 , ; Nh ae
i ith white, which predominates on the abdomen; thighs deep tawny
surface rufous, irregularly blotched with white, | ee si
i , ; yreenish brown inclining to yellow in others ; cere bluish grey; feet lead-
buff; irides light brown 1n some, greenish g to )
colour. -
emale 0 » natural Size.
The figures are male and female of the nat