HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



183 



UNCLASSIFIED NOTES ON THE INLAND 

 BIRDS OF CEYLON. 



By F. L. 



\Contitiued/rom page 152.] 



Suborder Accipitres Nocturni, or Owls. 



10. ' I ""HE Chestnut-winged Owl {Athene castaneo- 

 -L nota) Blyth, Holdsworth. A. castanotits 

 of Kelaart, who also calls it the Ceylon chestnut- 

 winged owl, "Bassar" of the Siugalese. "Sinn 

 Anthey " of the Tamils. 



Distribution. — This little owl is peculiar to Ceylon, 

 and widely distributed from 100 up to 6000 feet 

 above the sea level. Its peculiar call may be heard 

 in the day, when the bird frequents the deeper 

 forests, or comes to the edges in search of food. 

 They may be found from one to a dozen, but in the 

 latter number only during the early mornings, or at 

 sunset. 



They are fond of reptiles, small birds, and in 

 confinement eat raw meat with avidity. 



Size — 5 length 8 J in. ; span 15 J in. ; wing 42 in. ; 

 tail 2| in. ; tarsus I in. Shot in Maskeliya, 4500 ft. ; 

 Q length 7 J in. ; span 1 7 in. ; wing 5 in. ; tail 2 J in. ; 

 tarsus I in. ; shot at Dickoya 4800 ft. ; 5 length 

 75 in. ; span i8| in. ; wing 5 in. ; tail 2\ in. ; tarsus 

 I in. J shot in Ballangoda, 2000 ft. 



General coloicr. — Upper parts chestnut-brown with 

 light brown bars across the feathers. Head, neck 

 and throat marked with narrow white bars, and a 

 like marking is also upon the wings and tail, only 

 slightly darker ; breast and sides brownish with 

 white bars across the feathers ; belly and vent white 

 dashed with brownish-coloured markings ; the tarsi 

 are feathered down to the toes, which latter are 

 hairy. Iris golden ; bill bluish, green above and 

 darker below, in some examples horny ; feet greenish- 

 yellow. 



Remarks. — The note of this bird is peculiar, 

 usually beginning with a sort of purring note, and 

 ending with sharp sounds like the words ' ' korhork, 

 korhork, kook," repeated once or twice. When 

 startled, it makes a sound not unlike the squeak of 

 a field mouse. 



II. The "Devil Bird" Owl {Syrnium indranee), 

 Sykes of Holdsworth and Legge. The Brown Wood 

 Owl, Legge. The Oulama Owl. Syrniiun indrani 

 of Kelaart. " Oolamar " or " Bucka moonar" of 

 the Singalese. " Singala Pizarsie," or Singalese 

 Devil of the Tamils. 



Distribution. — Wide ; the bird chiefly inhabits 

 heavy forests, from the low country up to the hills, 

 but I am inclined to think it is only a visitor to the 

 colder climes. 



Size. — 5 length 192 in. ; span 455 in. ; wing 13 in. ; 

 tail 8| in. j tarsus 2/g in. 



General colour. — Brown above, pale below, with 



close bars across the feathers. Bill horny, green ; 

 foot ashy ; iris chocolate-brown. I am unable to 

 give further details of colouring, as unfortunately 

 I parted with my specimen before taking further 

 notes. 



Remarks. — There appears to be some doubt as 

 to the identity of this owl with the so-called devil- 

 bird. It is from a native superstition that the name 

 devil-bird is given, but it .might be added with 

 justice, that the bird's fiendish cries entitle it to no 

 ordinary title. Both the Tamils and Singalese look 

 upon its call as an ill omen, and on one occasion I 

 had considerable trouble in quieting a servant who 

 heard one, from the belief that he or I would die 

 immediately, as one of these owls had chosen a tree 

 close to my bungalow as a spot from whence to pour 

 forth its agonising cry. The note is' without a doubt 

 truly horrible, and past description, as at times it 

 combines hoots, with a fearful strangling, sobbing, 

 and hysterical scream, sometimes accompanied by 

 sobs, and at others by a sort of laugh. It is only 

 necessary to hear the creature once to agree to its 

 title. 



In closing my notes on the above orders, I must 

 remind the reader that there are a considerable 

 number of both suborders that I have left undescribed, 

 for the reason that I have not been so fortunate as to 

 secure them in my ramblings. 



According to Mr, Holdsworth's catalogue, I have 

 left undescribed : Falco peregrijius ; F. peregrinator ; 

 Hypotriorchis severus : Accipiter virgatus ; Aquila 

 pennata ; Nisaetus Bonelli ; Limna'etus Nipalensis ; 

 Pandion Haliaetus ; Halia'etus leucogaster ; Circus 

 vielanoleitcos ; C, czruginosus ; Plaliastur Indus ; 

 Milvus Govinda ; Pernis ptilorrhynchus ; Baza 

 lophotcs ; Elanus melanopterics. 



Of owls : Strix indica ; Huhua pectoralis ; Ketupu 



Cgylonensis ; Ephialtes bakkamuna; E. Sunia, and 



Ninox hirsuta. 



F. L. 



LIST OF ASSISTING NATURALISTS. 



\Contintted.'\ 



Yorkshire. 



Whitby. S. P. Dotchon, 29 Esk Terrace, Whitby. 

 British Birds and Butterflies , also on collecting and 

 preserving insects, shells, zoophytes, &c. Any in- 

 formation on British ferns and the allied plants. 

 Also on the habits of song-birds, zoophytes, insects, 

 and Crustacea. Correspondents please to enclose 

 a stamped and directed envelope for reply. 



Whitby. Henry B. Thornton, 1 1 Esk Terrace. Col- 

 lecting a7id Preserving Natural History Specimens, 

 British Alga. In every case correspondents are 

 requested to enclose stamped envelope. 



Llandudno. Wm. Jones, 3 Trinity Buildings, Mostyn 

 Street, British Flowering Plants, etc. 



