328 SPOLIA ZBYLANICA. 
upper plumage glossy sepia-brown with narrow cross bands 
and edges of tawny-buff ; on the scapulars and wing coverts 
these pale cross bands become broader and are mottled with 
brown ; wing quills dark brown with bands of smoky gray ; 
tail with mottled bands and tips of buff. Lower parts white, 
at times tinged with buff, with broad brown crescent-shaped 
hars. 
Young birds are white cr buff, with crescent-shaped dark 
brown bars on beth upper and lower plumage ; quills and tail 
feathers as in adults. 
Bill yellow ; iris brown ; toes yellow. 
Dimensions variable ; females, as a rule, are larger than 
males, Length about 23; wing 15°3-18; tail 7°5-9°5; 
tarsus 2°60; bill from gape 2. 
Distribution.—Not very common, but found apparently as 
much in the low-country forests as on the hills. Specimens 
in the Colombo Museum come frem Kurunegala ; Giriulla, 
North-Western Province; and Batticaloa. If this species is 
the only Devil Bird, it is found fairly generally throughout the 
Island. In India, like Syrnium indrani, this is a hill species, 
occurring in the lower Himalayas and the hill ranges of Assam 
and Southern India. It is also recorded from one or two 
localities in Burma. 
Habits, &c.—A forest bird, but found more in scattered 
clumps of large timber, such as the wooded gorges of the 
patanas, and on the edges of thick forest than in the heart of 
the jungle. Not much is known of its mode of life, as it is 
a nocturnal bird seldom seen. To judge from its size and 
powerful talons, it probably hunts fairly large game, and 
appears to live mainly on birds. In India it is credited with 
killing pheasants, hares, and even young deer. The cry is 
described by Jerdon as alow, deep, and far-sounding moaning 
hoot. I have discussed in my remarks on the order the claims 
of this species to be the Devil Bird. Nothing appears to be 
known of its breeding habits in Ceylon. In India the nest has 
been found in Northern Cachar, It consisted of a broad plat- 
form of sticks and grass, placed about 6 feet from the ground 
in a large fig tree. One white egg of the usual type measured 
abot 2°21 by 1°87. 
