Sabaragamuwa Province, Ceylon. 343 



received from a friend, who procured and described what 1 

 beheve to have been a specimen of it, but I cannot speak of 

 it with certainty. Its occurrence is, however, very probable. 



16. Scops BAKKAM^NA (Lcgge, B. of C. p. 135). 



A very common resident species throughout the province 

 up to 2500 feet, but more numerous at lower altitudes. 



17. Scops minutus (Legge, B. of C. p. 142, pi. iv. fig. 2). 

 An endemic species. I have only once procured this 



beautiful little Owl at 4000 feet in high forest, 



18. NiNox SCUTULATA (Leggc, B. of C. p. 145). 

 Recorded as common, but that is not my experience, as I 



have obtained it only once from the wet forests in the Balan- 

 goda district at 2500 feet elevation. 



19. Glaucidium castanonotum (Legge, B. of C. p. 149, 

 pi, iv. fig, 1). 



An abundant resident species, and mostly confined to the 

 wet forests of the higher ranges, I have met with it in 

 dense forest in the neighbourhood of Adam's Peak, and 

 again near the Horton Plains. 



20. Syrnium indrani (Legge, B. of C. p. 155, pi. v. fig. 1). 

 This is the so-called Devil-bird of the Europeans, and is 



regarded by the natives of the country as a creature of ill 

 omen, probably because of its wild and unearthly cries. The 

 question has often been raised whether this Owl is the real 

 cause of the dreaded cry or not ; but while it is more than 

 likely that the hoot of the Eagle-Owl [Bubo nijmlensis) is 

 equally appalling, yet, from my own experience, I can assert 

 that the application of the local name is fully justified in the 

 case of this species. I have on two occasions had the oppor- 

 tunity of hearing the cry of this Owl, which can only be 

 described as blood-curdling. On the first occasion I was 

 walking through a small clump of dense forest, and just as I 

 was getting out into some grass-land (patina) I heard sounds 

 that led me to believe a woman or a child was being murdered. 

 It was a cloudless night, with a full moon shining, as clear 



