86 



5. Baza lophotes, Cuv. The Coliy Falcoii. 



The Cohy Falcon is one of the most beautiful of the Falcon race, 

 and is a high caste bird. Its posture is erect, its plumage glossy, 

 form compact, and manner dauntless ; while the crest on the head 

 adds much to its grace and beauty. 



Mr. C. W. Smith in his ' Notės ' says, " This is a scarce bird, and 

 a specimen was sent to me by a native gentleman, and who acquainted 

 me that it had not been seen more than orce by the oldest Shikari." 



6. Athene Brama, Temm. Native name, Khukhusat. 



At a village a small distance from Muttra, a pair of these birds 

 had taken up their abode in some low bushy trees growing at the 

 entrance of the village, and were seen hopping and flying about in 

 broad daylight and quite able to see us ; which indicates their diurnal 

 habits and familiarity. 



I have seen this bird in various places in broad daylight at sun- 

 rise. I once observed it fly down from the top of a tree on the high 

 road, and, picking up an insect, fly up again ; this insect it held in its 

 claws to eat, likę a parrot ; seeing me, it bent down its head, as all 

 owls do ; and though I frightened it once or tvnce, it would not leave 

 the tree, but only flew to another bough. Its hunting in daylight 

 shows it to approach the diurnal Owls. 



At Brindabun I observed a pair huddled together at the end of a 

 bough exactly over the tent. They slėpt the greater part of the day. 

 One let fall its dung, which was as bar d as a pellet, on my ar m. 

 Towards the decline of the sun, or between four and five o'clock, they 

 woke up, and on perceiving that they were observed, gavę one good 

 stare and flew to another bough ; and on being again looked at some 

 short while aftervvards, they flew to a low tree at some distance off. 

 Its hoot is a plain single sound of hoo, not very loud, but very 

 distinct. 



7. Athenk cuculoides, Vigors. 



I once shot a specimen of this Owl in a garden, where a pair had 

 taken up their abode in a dense and lofty tree. . In the stomach I 

 found a small lizard, two centipedes, a whole beetle, and fragments 

 of two others. 



8. BuBo Bengalensis, Franklin. 



This species is very common in the plains, and is heard where- 

 ever there are tall dense trees, at night. A pair had taken up their 

 abode in the ancient tamarind trees behind the Kazi's garden. Ha- 

 ving been once fired at, they are rather shy on perceiving that they 

 are noticed. 



This Ovvl looks exactly likę a huge cat when seen in a tree ; the 

 first one that I saw was sitting in a low tree in an orchard, and al- 

 lo\ved us to gaze at it in the dusk for some time. We could hardly 

 tell untįl it flew whether it was a cat or owl. 



Its voice is very different from the other owls here, being hū, hū, 



