294 ASioNiD.^. 



smallest. It is from Ceylon, and resembles S. malayanus in its. 

 dark brownish colour. Wing about 4-8. 



As in so many other cases, specimens from the South are smaller 

 and darker, the smallest and darkest of all being the Ceylonese 

 variety. 



Distribution. Central and Southern Europe and Asia, and the 

 greater part of Africa. One form or another of this bird is found 

 in all parts of India, Ceylon, and Burma, except perhaps the 

 higher Himalayas. 



Habits, ^c. This is a migratory species in Europe and probably 

 to some extent in India. IVo nests appear to have been taken in 

 the plains, but the small dark Southern forms certainly breed in 

 the hills of Southern India and Ceylon, for there are nestlings 

 from both localities in the British Museum, and Mr. Daly tells me 

 he has taken the eggs on the Shevroys. There can be but little 

 doubt that S. r/iu breeds in the Himalayas also, but it is doubtful 

 whether the few supposed instances on record do not apply to 

 another species. The habits are those of the genus; the caU is a 

 peculiar monotonous monosyllabic hoot, repeated at regular 

 intervals, generally from a dense-foliaged tree. 



1174. Scops brucii. The Striated Sco2'>s Oivl. 



Ephialtes brucei, Hume, S. F. i, p. 8 (1873) ; FairbanJc, S, F. iv, 

 p. 254. 



Scops brucei, Sharpe, Cat. B. 31. ii, p. 62 ; Blanford, S. F. v. p. 245 ; 

 IJoiff, >S. I\ vii, p. 505 ; Hume, Cat. no. 74 sept. ; Vida/, S. F. ix, 

 p. 36 ; Butler, ibid. p. 376 ; Barnes, ibid. p. 452 ; Biddidph, Ibis^ 

 1881, p. 47 ; Scully, ibid. p. 426 ; Davidsori, S. F. x, p. 291 ; Barnes, 

 Birds Bom. p. 71 ; Shai-pe, YarJi. Miss., Aves, p. 12, pi. ii ; Blanf. 

 Ibis, 1894, p. 528. 



Kutruz, INIahr. 



Coloration, Lores sullied white, with black tips, rest of the face 

 grey, ruff tipped dark brown and without any ferruginous tint ; 

 upper plumage sandy grey (dark isabelline), with narro\\' blackish 

 shaft-stripes, the surface generally ^ery finely and uniformly 

 speckled m ith dark brown on buff ; spots on outer scapulars pale 

 dull buff, not white; wing and tail-featliers marked as in >S'. (jiu, 

 but with dull dark brown and buff; lower pliunage marked with 

 dark shaft-stripes hke the upper, and similarly coloured, but paler 

 and less iniiform, Avith some white on the abdomen. 



Bill horny; irides brilliant yeUow ; toes olivaceous grey {Doig). 



Length about 8'5 ; tail 3*'2; Aving G-3 ; tarsus 1*2; bill from 

 gape '7. Third quill longest ; feathering of tarsus extends on to 

 the base of the toes. 



Distribution. Specimens have been obtained in the Bombay 

 Presidency at Ahmednagar and at Khed in Eatnagiri, and the 

 bird has probably occurred in "Western Khandesh ; it has also 

 been met Avith several times in Sind, and Mr. Barnes found it 

 breeding at Chaman in South Afghanistan. It has been recorded 



