414 CORACHFORMES CHAP. 
B. blakistoni of Japan, and B. dorriesi of Kast Siberia ; B. milesi is 
found at Muscat, B. abyssinicus in Somali-Land, B. bengalensis— 
which eats reptiles and crabs—ain India, 4. nipalensis and B. coro- 
mandus—which occasionally lays eggs spotted with lilac and brown 
—in the same country and Burma, B. orientalis in Malacca and the 
Great Sunda Islands, B. philippensis in the Philippines. —B. dacteus 
covers all the Ethiopian Region, except the west, where B. shelleyi, 
B. lettii, B. leucostictus and B. poénsis occur, the last being also met 
with in Fernando Po. &. ascalaphus inhabits North Africa and 
Palestine, 2. cinerascens North-East and B. maculosus South Africa, 
B. capensis extending from the South to the East. All North 
America is occupied by &. virginianus, barred instead of streaked 
below; the species or sub-species B. nigrescens and B. magellanicus 
coming respectively from Ecuador and the districts from Peru 
and Brazil to the extreme south. Some forms have more white 
in the plumage than the British Eagle-Owl, or bare toes. All 
seem destructive to game and often to poultry. &. ignavus and 
B. virginianus have been kept in confinement in England, and 
the former has propagated freely. 
Scotopelia peli, of West Africa and the Zambesi Region, has 
rufous upper parts with black bars, and fawn-coloured lower 
surface with the bars less regular; it feeds on reptiles and fish 
as well as small animals. This fine large bird has two congeners, 
S. ussheri of Fantee and S. bowviert of the Gaboon. Ketupa 
ceylonensis, a still bigger species, ranging from India and Ceylon 
to Hong-Kong, is buftish-brown above, with the middle of the 
feathers blackish, and fulvous below with dark streaks and closely 
set brown bands, the throat being white. A. flavipes, of the Hima- 
layas and China, and the smaller A. javanensis of the Malay 
Peninsula, Siam, and the Great Sunda Islands, have no bands 
below ; but all have fine head-tufts and naked legs. They frequent 
coasts or wooded streams, where they can easily procure their 
main diet of fish, crabs, and insects; they remain under cover in 
the day, and the last-named at least utters a soft, low whistle. 
The two roundish eggs, which have the surface pitted lke those 
of the Eagle-Owl, are often laid on ledges or in recesses of rocks, 
in hollow trees, or at the junction of the larger branches, but 
more commonly a deserted nest is relined for the purpose. 
Of fossil forms referred to the Family, Wecrobyas harpax and 
NV. rossignoli are described from the Eocene of France, together 
