256 ON A FUETHER COLLECTION OF [1874. 



65. Scops modestus, Walden, Ann. & Mag. N. H. (4) xiii. p. 123*, " Port Blair, S. Andaman " 

 Feb. 1874). 



Distin"-uishable from all the other described Asiatic species of the genus by its sober colours 

 and plain markings, and, with the exception of Scojis mantis, by its diminutive size. 



66. NiNOX OBSCURUS. (Plate IV. in orig.) 



Ninox ohscurus, Hume, Str. Feath. i. p. 11, " Nicobars, near Camorta" (Nov. 1872); Ball, 

 torn. cit. p. 55 (Feb. 1873). 



mnox, sp. %, Ball, J. A. S. B. 1870, p. 240, "Port Mouat." 



" South Andaman, 6 , INIarch 1 : iris bright yellow ; legs pale yellow ; maxilla dark brown ; 

 culmen and mandible greenish slate." 



The fourth primary in this example slightly exceeds the third and is the longest ; the third 

 exceeds the fifth. Dimensions in the flesh: total length 11-10 inches; wing 9-0 [?] ; tail 5-15. 

 The stiff bristles which arm the sides of the toes are dark brown. 



67. NiNOX AFFiNis. (Plate V. in orig.) 



Ninox affinis, Tytler: Beavan, Ibis, 1867, p. 316. no. 10, "Aberdeen Point, Port Blair;" 

 Hume, Scrap Book, p. 421 (1869). 



% Athene hirsuta (Temm.), v. Pelzeln, Novara Exp. Aves, p. 26, " Kondul Island, Nicobars " 

 (1865). 



i.mnox hirsuta (Temm.), Ball, Str. Feath. i. p. 54. no. 10, " Nicobars" (Feb. 1873). 



"Port Blair, S. Andaman : (j , May 31, colour of eye pale blue (1), feet pale yellow ; c? , 

 July 17 ; $,Aug. 8." {Wimherley.) 



Readily distinguishable from N. hirsutiis of Ceylon, India, and Burma, and the smaller race, 

 N. malaccensis, of the Malay peninsula by its much inferior dimensions, the more cinereous 

 colom-ing of the head and nape, by the concealed spots or bars on the scapulars being pale 

 rufous or fulvous (not pure white), and by the abdominal feathers being dark-centred and then 

 brio-ht rufous, with white edges only and not barred through with white. In A', hirsufus and 

 If. malaccensis the abdominal feathers are traversed by a broad pure white bar and terminated 

 by a bold brown (in some a rufous brown), not bright rufous, drop. A^. borneensis resembles 

 N. malaccensis in general colouring above, and has also the scapulars spotted with pure white 

 and the abdominal feathers crossed by a white band ; but the terminal drop of each feather is 

 larger and bright rufous, not brown. Ninox affinis has five caudal bands. It has a longer tail 

 and a shorter wing than N. borneensis. 



Until examples of the Sumatran Ninox can be compared, the Malaccan species must retain 

 the title of N. malaccensis (Eyton). This last will probably prove to be identical with the 

 Sumatran, and have to take the title of N. scutulatus (Baffles) ; or this Andaman species may be 

 the same as the Sumatran. 



A. hirsuta (Temm.), v. Pelzeln (/. c), is undeterminable, as neither of the two examples, 

 captured in an island of the Nicobars, was brought to Europe. Mr. Ball also mentions (/. c.) an 

 example of a Ninox, received by him from the Nicobars, which, he says, sufficiently well agrees 



* lAntea, p. 253.— Ed.] 



