Zoological Society. 6J 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



February 14, 1854. — Dr. Gray, Vice-President, in the Chair. 



Notes on the Habits of Indian Birds. Part II. 

 By Lieutenant Burgess. 



Family Strigidje. 



Genus Urrua, Hodgs. 



Urrua Bengalensis. 



I have found this large Owl common on the hanks of the large 

 rivers, as also amongst the low jungly hills and patches of brush- 

 wood in the Central Deccan. It appears to prefer the small bushy 

 ravines covered with high grass, which lead down from the high 

 banks into the beds of the larger streams and rivers. When seated 

 on the top of a bush in the dim twilight, it forms quite a formidable 

 object, the gloom making it appear larger than it really is. It 

 does not appear to be strictly nocturnal, as I met with one sitting 

 on the sandy shore of the river Bheema some time after the sun had 

 risen. I never found the eggs of this bird ; but I have been in- 

 formed, on good authority, that they make their nest at the foot of 

 bushes in the tall grass, and lay four white eggs. I kept three nest- 

 lings of this species for some time. When brought to me out of the 

 nest, they were covered with down of a chestnut colour, spotted and 

 streaked with dark brown. This Owl breeds during the months of 

 March and April. 



Genus Noctua. 



NocTUA Indica, Frank. 



This is a very common Owl in Western India, so much so that 

 every grove, and almost every large tree, appears to have some of this 

 clamorous family inhabiting its holes and crevices. It is a most 

 noisy bird, screeching and screaming ere the shades of evening draw 

 on, and becoming quite a nuisance to any one pitched under the tree 

 frequented by them. It appears to be very little incommoded by a 

 strong light, moving out of its hiding-place before the sun is down, 

 flitting backwards and forwards amongst the branches and from tree 

 to tree. In the month of June I saw a pair of these little Owls sitting 

 on the bare branch of a tree, with the brilliant morning sun shining 

 full on them ; in fact, they appeared to be sunning themselves. On 

 another occasion I shot a pair, sitting on a ledge of rock, in the full 

 blaze of the setting sun. If disturbed during the day, they fly about 

 with the greatest activity, uttering their squabbling note, and look 

 down on the intruder from above with eyes that appear in no way 

 incommoded by the light. In the stomachs of the last pair above 

 mentioned, I found the wing-cases and legs of beetles. This little 

 owl breeds during the months of February and March, laying three or 

 four eggs of a pure white colour, nearly ly^ in. long and ly^^ in. 

 broad. They lay their eggs in holes of trees. 



