eel 
OWLS AND DIURNAL BIRDS OF PREY. 300 
GLAUCIDIUM CASTANONOTUM (Blanford, Vol. III., p. 307; 
Legge, p. 149). 
The Chestnut-backed Owlet. 
Description.—Lores whitish with dark tips; whole head, 
sides and back of neck, throat, chest, and sides of breast dark 
brown with narrow transverse bars of whitish-buff ; on the 
back and sides of the lower neck the bars are broader and pure 
white, forming a broken white collar ; the back, scapulars, 
wing coverts, and tertiaries reddish-chestnut with faint dark 
bars ; at times there are some pale spots on the scapulars and 
wing coverts ; wing quills brown with rufous bars, which 
become almost white on the inner webs of the secondaries ; 
upper tail coverts and tail brownish-black with narrow white 
crossbars. Chin and a band on each side of throat white ; a 
white patch in the centre of the fore-neck ; centre of breast 
and remainder of lower parts white, with broad longitudinal 
streaks of dark brown on the abdomen and thigh plumes. 
Bill greenish-horny ; cere dusky-greenish ; iris yellow ; feet 
olivaceous. 
Length 7°5; wing 5:15; tail 2:5; tarsus ‘85; bill from 
gape -75. 
Distribution.—Peculiar to Ceylon ; found in the hills, the 
forest tracts at their base, and the wet zone of the low-country, 
being not uncommon round Colombo. 
Habits, &c.—Occurs in forest or jungle, also in thickly 
planted native gardens. A shy bird, keeping to the top 
branches of tall trees. It is fairly diurnal in its habits. The 
note is a curious little “‘“craw.’’ Like other small Owls, it 
feeds on insects, lizards, small birds, mice, &c. It breeds 
from March to May in holes in trees, laying two white oval 
eggs on the bare wood. Average size about 1°37 by L-LL. 
Ninox scututata (Blanford, Vol. III., p. 309 ; 
Legge, p. 145). 
The Brown Hawk Oul. 
Description.—Feathers of the lores and edge of the forehead 
white at the base and black at the tip ; the sides of the head 
and neck, the crown, and upper plumage chocolate-brown. 
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