SYRNIIN &, 61 
Above, pale yellow-buff, beautifully mottled with light grey, 
each feather tipped with a white spot, edged darker; quills and 
tail darker and somewhat fulvous, with distinct mottled bands 
and specks between them ; disc white, with a patch of rufous at 
the inner corner of the eye; ruff yellow and brown; all beneath, 
including the under wing-coverts, white in some, pale yellowish- 
buff in others; the feathers of the breast and abdomen with small 
black specks and spots. 
The tarsus is feathered to the feet, but the feathers become very 
sparse and bristly towards the latter, and are little more than 
bristles at the foot; the toes are fleshy or dirty white, or light- 
brown with a pinkish tinge, thinly covered on the whole upper 
surface with whitish bristles; the claws horny-brown, tinged only 
with brown on the ridges; bill slightly yellowish-white, faintly 
tinged with pinkish towards the cere, which is fleshy ; irides brown, 
sometimes almost black. 
The Indian Screech Owl occurs throughout the region, but is 
nowhere common, except perhaps in the Deccan. 
It is a permanent resident, and breeds from February to June, in 
holes of trees, rocks, and similar situations ; the eggs, three or four 
in number are less spherical than those of Owls usually are, 
measuring 1°75 inches in length by 1°3 in breadth ; they are white 
with a creamy tinge. 
SUB-FAMILY, Syrniine. 
Head not so large as in the last family and the disc incomplete 
above; no ear-tufts; wings moderate, somewhat rounded; the 
first four or five quills emarginate; tarsus short, stout, well 
feathered; mid-toe longer than the inner one; claw dilated 
internally, as are the toes also partially; tail slightly lengthened, 
and rounded or graduated. 
Strix candida, Tick. 
61.—Jerdon’s Birds of India, Vol. I, p. 118; Hume’s Scrap 
Book, p. 345. 
THE GRASS OWL. 
Length, 14; wing, 14; tail, 4°5; tarsus, 3°5. 
Bill horny ; irides very dark brown; legs livid, above tawny yellow; 
the feathers brown, yellowish at base and with a terminal white 
spot; the quills fulvous-yellow, with distinct brown bars; tail 
pale yellow, with four dark brown bars, the terminal one mottled 
at the ending ; disc fulvous-white, with a dark brown spot at the 
inner angle of the eye; ruff dark fulvous; beneath yellowish- 
white, with small brown specks; tarsus and toes with a few 
scattered bristles, scarcely plumed at the knee; the wings reach 
three inches beyond the tail; the claws are blunter and less 
curved than in the last. 
Dr. Jerdon procured the Grass Owl in Central India, as did 
