Descriptive List of Birds 



a blade of grass between the two thumbs of 

 one's hands and blowing sharply on the edge 

 of the grass. Another is similar to the note 

 of the domestic pigeon when he is showing off 

 before the female." 



This owl usually keeps to higher levels than 

 those of the hill stations ; but is fairly common 

 at Simla. 



143. Scofs spilocephalus : The Spotted 

 Himalayan Scops Owl. F. 1175, J (not de- 

 scribed), -II. E. W. 



Large aigrettes. Mottled brown above. 

 Lower plumage white, speckled and spotted 

 with brown. 



I have not noticed this owl at any hill 

 station, but Jones states that it is fairly plenti- 

 ful up to 8000 feet in the Simla rhododendron 

 forests, where it breeds in April. He describes 

 the call as a double whistle — who-zvho. 



144. Glaucidium cuculoides : The Large Bar- 

 red Owlet. F. 1183,]. 79, +11. E. W. 



No aigrettes. Upper plumage brown with 

 white, cream or reddish crossbars. These 

 crossbars serve to distinguish this from most 

 of the other owls, which have the upper 

 plumage mottled rather than barred. 



A noisy bird. Blanford describes its call as 

 173 



