AND TYPES OF EGGS. 15 
Glaucidium.)—A great number of owls are found in India, most of 
them are permanent residents. The short-eared owls (O/us) are the only 
truly migratory ones. They all lay pure white eggs of a rounded shape. 
The grass owl (Scelostrix candida) lays on the ground in grass. The 
rock-horned owl (Ascalaphia bengalensis) lays on shady ledges of banks. 
Some of the wood owls (Buéacca) lay occasionally on ledges of rocks. 
The screech owl (Strix indica) and the spotted owlet (Athene drama) lay 
sometimes in buildings or deserted wells, but the place par excellence 
for finding owls’ eggs is in natural hollows in decayed trees. Some of the 
larger owls which would find holes in any ordinary tree rather tight 
quarters lay in hollows at the bifurcations of the trunks of large trees. 
Owls are seldom seen, owing to their nocturnal habits, but some species 
or other is to be found in every part of India. Some of them live in 
houses inhabited by man, but the great bulk of them frequent well- 
wooded districts away from human habitations. 
Hawk owls, (Ninox)—Nothing is known of the nidification of 
these curious birds. They affect wooded localties, and are more widely 
spread than is usually thought. They appear at twilight, perching on 
conspicuous dead boughs. 
Swallows, (Hirwndo).—Are very widely spread. They are often 
gregarious and generally found near water over the surface of which they — 
feed. They occur throughout India, and breed much near human 
habitations. Their nests, of whatever shape, are all made of pellets of 
clay, fixed against a building or rock generally with a soft lining. The 
eges are pure white in some, but spotted in others. The common swallow 
(H. rustica) is migratory. A few pairs only remain to breed in the 
Himalayas. All the others are permanent residents where found, except 
perhaps H. daurica which breeds in the Himalayas only, but is found 
in the plains in winter. 
Martins, (Cotyle, Chelidon). —Arevery locally spread through India. 
the sand martins (Cofy/e) are found near large rivers. The crag martins 
(Cotyle) and the house martins (Chelidon) chiefly affect rocky country, 
and of the breeding of these latter very little is known. They are all 
more or less gregarious. The crag martins lay spotted eggs. The sand 
martins lay pure white eggs. They are partially migratory. 
Spine tails, (Acanthylis)—Of the breeding of the spine tails 
nothing is known, their amazing powers of flight, and the great dis- 
tances they traverse in a day, render chservation of their habits almost 
