134 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



with interrupted pale fulvous and clouded bars ; the quills brown, 

 with pale bands, pure fulvous, or creamy-yellow, on the outer web, 

 pale mottled whitish on ''he inner web ; tail brown, with three or 

 four pale fulvous bands, and tipped with the same ; disk rusty, with 

 dark brown stripes, the anterior bristles grizzled white and black ; 

 chin and throat white, partly brown-streaked ; the rest of the plu- 

 mage beneath vinaceous-rusty, each feather with a narrow longitudi- 

 nal stripe of rich brown, and numerously cross-barred with faint 

 pale brown wavy bars. 



Irides, golden or orange yellow ; eyelids, purplish-brown ; bill, 

 pale horny-yellow ; legs and feet dusky-yellow. 



Length, 21 to 23 inches; wing, IQ^; tail, 8; extent, 40 to 45 

 inches ; weight, 3^ lbs. The wings reach nearly to the end of the 

 tail ; the inner toe is a little shorter than the mid-toe, but stouter, and 

 its claw larger, equal in length to the toe ; the outer toe is sensibly 

 smaller than the inner one, the claws not so much curved as in the 

 next species. 



I do not understand how Hodgson named this nigripes, stating 

 that the tarsi and feet are purpurescent-dusky ; for I have always 

 found them dingy yellow : it may be not so bright as in the next 

 species. 



The Brown Fish-Owl is found throughout India and Ceylon, 

 extending into Burmah, and perhaps to China (vide Swinhoe, Ornith. 

 of Hongkong), but not to Malayana. It frequents both 

 forests, and groves and gardens in well-wooded districts, and is 

 found to a con:>iderable elevation, it being not rare at Ootacamund 

 on the Neilgherries. 



It roosts during the day in the densest part of the jungle, coming 

 forth to feed shortly after sunset, and generally making its way to 

 the nearest water, be it a tank, brook, or river. Here it may be 

 seen seated on some overhanging rock, or bare tree, occasionally 

 utterino- its loud dismal cry, which Tickell well likens to hazv, haw, 

 liaio ho, calling it a repulsive laugh. It feeds much on fish, as was 

 first pointed out by Hodgson, and more particularly, I found, on 

 crabs. Layard says that he has kept this bird alive, and that it fed 

 greedily on fish. The natives assert that it will kill cats. It is said 

 to breed in holes of trees or in rocks, and to lay two white egg?i. 



