OWLS. 81 
Family I. Busonrio#. Hornev ann Woop-Ow ts. 
The first group to be considered are the Fishing-Owls (Ketupa) 
exhibited on the top shelf. Like the Ospreys, these birds have the soles 
of the feet covered with spicules, and their bare legs are also well- 
adapted for the capture of the fish which form their principal food. 
Four species are known and inhabit various parts of the Indo-Chinese 
and Malayan regions. Of the two exhibited, the Tawny Fishing-Owl 
(K. flavipes) (967) ranges from the Himalaya to China, while the 
Brown form (K. ceylonensis) (968), which, according to Mr. Hume, 
varies its diet with mammals, land-birds and crabs, occurs in the Indian 
Peninsula and Ceylon. Pel’s Owl (Scotopelia peli) ($69), an allied. 
species from Tropical Africa, lacks the feathered tufts or horns, but is 
otherwise very similar. 
The Eagle-Owls (Bubonine), of which examples are exhibited in a 
separate Case in the centre of the Bay, include the largest of all the 
Owls. The Great Eagle-Owl (Bubo ignavus) (910), common on the 
Continent though rare in Great Britain, is partly diurnal in its habits 
and extremely destructive, its great strength enabling it to kill not 
only large game-birds, rabbits and hares, but even fawns. Its rare 
Siberian ally (B. turcomanus) (971) from Central and Southern Asia, 
and the handsome Spotted Eagle-Owl (B. maculosus) (912) from 
S. Africa, are also represented. 
The Snowy Owl (Nyctea) (973), another very large species, inhabits 
the Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere and is a not infrequent 
visitor to the British Islands. Its habits are diurnal, and it preys on 
hares and other smaller rodents, as well as birds and fish. The female 
is more profusely barred with black than the male, whose plumage is 
sometimes pure white. 
The Hawk-Owls, represented by the North European species (Surnia 
ulula) ($74) and the American subspecies (8. caparoch) (9178), are also 
diurnal in their habits, both appearing on the British List as accidental 
stragglers to our shores. 
The Scops- or Tufted-Owls (Scops) include a very large number ot 
species and are found in nearly every part of the Werld. They are all 
birds of small size and of nocturnal habits. Several species are exhibited, 
including the common European form (S. scops) (976), which on many 
occasions has visited Great Britain, and the Screech Scops-Owl (S. asio) 
($77) of N. America, of which both the grey and rufous phases are 
exhibited. 
Another genus, the Brown Hawk-Owls (Ninoz), with numerous species, 
ranges from Asia through the Pacific islands to Australia. WN. scutulata 
(981) is a common Indian form, while N. strenua (982) and N. connivens 
G 
[Case 54. ] 
[Table- 
case. | 
[Case 54.] 
