270 . ASIONIDJE. 



Distribution. Only found as yet in the Ceylon hills, near Kandy, 

 where this bird appears rare, as very few specimens have hitherto 

 been obtained. 



Habits, Sfc. Like P. badius this is a thoroughly nocturnal species, 

 living in dense forest. It appears to breed about the end of the 

 year ; makes a nest of dry twigs, moss, and feathers in a hollow 

 tree, and lays, in the only instance yet recorded, 3 eggs. 



Subfamily ASIONIN^. 



Ear-orifice large, exceeding the eye in size, lunate or ovoid in 

 shape, and furnished with an operculum. Facial disk well-marked 

 and nearly as high above the eyes as below them ; ruff distinct. 



The Owls of this subfamily are of moderate or large size, with 

 feathered tarsi. Two genera are Indian. 



Key to the Genera. 



a, Aigi-ettes present : 2nd quill longest ; iris yellow. Asio, p. 270. 

 h. No aigrettes : 3rd, 4th, or 5th quill longest ; iris 



dark Sybnium, p. 273. 



Genus ASIO, Brisson, 1760. 



Aigrettes or ear-tufts present, but varying in size ; ear-orifice 

 very large, furnished witb an operculum. Bill short and strong, 

 the part covered by the cere is longer than that beyond the cere 

 measured in a straight line from base to front. Tarsus and upper 

 surface of toes thickly covered with feathers. Euif complete or 

 nearly so ; facial disk well-marked, and extending nearly as far 

 above the eye as beneath it. Wings long and pointed, 2nd quill 

 longest, 3rd subequal ; tail moderate, rounded. Iris yellow. 



Key to the Species. 



a. Transverse dark markings as weU as longitu- 



dinal stripes on ahdomen A. otm, p. 270. 



b. Only longitudinal shaft-stripes on abdomen . A. accipitrinus, p. 271. 



1156. Asio otus. The Lowj-eared Owl. 



Strix otus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 132 (1766). 



Otus vulgaris, Fleming, Brit. An. p. 56 (1828) ; Horsf. ^- M. Cat. 

 p. 79 ; Jerdon, B. 1. i, p. 125 ; Stoliczka, J. A. S. B. xxxvii, pt. 2, 

 p. 17 ; xli, p. 231 ; Hume, Rour/h Notes, p. 361 ; Jerdon, Ibis, 

 1871, p. 345 ; Boic/ ^' Butler, S. F. vii, p. 503. 



Asio otus, Lesson, Man. d''Orn. \, p. 116; Blyth, Cat. p. 35; Sharpe, 

 Cat. B. M. ii, p. 227 ; Hume, Cat. no. 67 ; Biddulph, Ibis, 1881, 

 p. 46 ; Sadly, ibid. p. 424 ; Barnes, Birds Bom. p. 63 ; St. John, 

 Ibis, 1889, p. 154. 



