158 nuBONiD-E. 



Total 



length. 



in. 



a. Ad. Fiittefiiirh (Anderson) lO'S 



I). 5 iul. Futte<;iirli ( Anderson) 10 



c. Ad. Darjilinp {Mus. Brit.) 12 



d. Ad, Darjiling {Mm. Brit.) 11 



c. Ad. Nepal (ifw^r/sw*) 12 



/. Ad. Nepal {Hodgson) 12-5 



q. Ad. Nepal {Hodgson) 11-5 



)(. Ad. Nepal {Hodgson) 11-5 



i. Ad. India {Mns. Stoinhoe) 12-2 



k. Ad. India {Miis. Norv.) 11 



It will be seen below that in point of size the Chinese and Hima- 

 lavan species are very closely allied ; but the latter is quite a distinct 

 bird. Mr. Andrew Anderson marks a specimen as " young " which ap- 

 pears to me to be quite old ; and I mention this because it is a ques- 

 tion to be decided by field observers in India. The Indian species is 

 light-coloured, and when fully adult has a grey head, with a good 

 deal of white about the face and cheeks. I do not know whether 

 it ever has a striped abdomen ; but, from the variations in the form 

 of the central markings on the breast-feathers, I should expect that 

 the young birds are streaked in their first plumage, and that these 

 broad streaks break up, leaving subterminal spots. The uniformity 

 of the first primary and the lower series of wing-coverts is also a 

 character which we might expect to find in the young stages, these 

 feathers being barred in the older birds. I leave these points to 

 the consideration of some of ray Indian fellow workers to determine. 

 The tail-bands vary in the series under examination from 5 to 6. 



Malabar. The only specimen which I have seen is one recently 

 brought to the Museum by Mr. Whitely. Mr. Jerdon has united 

 all the Indian birds under one title ; and in this he is generally fol- 

 lowed. Lord Walden seems to hint (vide p. 157) that the Hima- 

 layan bird, Ninox nipalcims of Hodgson, is distinct from the species 

 of the peninsula of India, N. htguhris, Tickell ; and I incline to the 

 behef that the two are distinct : with only one specimen, however, 

 it is impossible to decide ; but the Malabar skin is more nearly 

 allied to the Ceylon bird than to the Himalayan. Total length 

 II inches, wing 8, tail 4-G, larstis 1-1. 



Ceylon. Three specimens are before me, all apparently adult. 

 The Ccjion birds present a very marked fades, being very dark- 

 coloured, and having the abdominal spots large and distinct but very 

 thickly distributed ; this gives a dark appearance to the underparts. 

 First primary uniform in all three specimens. The bars on the tail 

 vary in each bird, being respectively 5, 6, and 7 in number. 



* Marked by Mr. Anderson as 7'7 in the flesh : perhaps we measure in a 

 different way ; and I liad better state, therefore, that in the present work all tlie 

 wings of the small Owls are measured with compasses, those of the larger 

 species with a tape. 



