324 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 
ASIO ACCIPITRINUS (Blanford, Vol. III., p. 271 ; 
not in Legge). 
The Short-eared Owl. 
Description.—Facial disk pale tawny-buff, the feathers 
round the eye black ; the ruff rich buff, streaked and speckled 
with dark brown ; upper plumage buff, broadly streaked and 
mottled with dusky-brown; on the scapulars and longer 
wing coverts the buff colour is paler ; primary quills chestnut- 
buff with broad tips and irregular bands of dark brown ; 
secondaries buff, banded with brown ; tail tawny-buff with 
irregular brown bars. Lower parts buff with longitudinal 
streaks of brown, broad on the breast and narrow on the 
abdomen ; the lower abdomen, legs, and under tail coverts are 
unmarked. 
Bill black ; iris deep yellow ; claws black. 
Length about 15; wing 12°25; tail 6; tarsus 1°6; bill 
from gape 1°2. 
Distribution.—On several occasions in recent years this Owl 
has visited Ceylon insomenumbers. In November, 1896, seven 
specimens were recorded from Jaffna, and next February two 
from the Horton Plains. There was another strong invasion 
about Christmas, 1904, when ten specimens were obtained in 
Colombo alone. The species is a migrant found aimost all 
over the world, breeding in temperate climates, and visiting 
warmer regions in winter. 
Habits, &c.—In Ceylon most of the specimens have been 
secured immediately on their arrival. In India this Owl is 
met with chiefly in grass plains, but sometimes in low bush or 
cultivated lands. It is largely nocturnal, and feeds principally 
on small mammals. 
SYRNIUM INDRANI (Blanford, Vol. III., p. 275 ; 
Legge, p. 155). 
The Brown Wood Owl. 
Description.—Loral plumes black, fringed with dirty-white ; 
facial disk rufous-tawny, whitish above the eyes, the feathers 
round the eye black ; ruff and chin dark chocolate-brown ; 
Crown and upper plumage dark sepia-brown ; scapulars, wing 
