SURNIINA, 75 
and a narrow streak over the eye, is white; and these parts 
instead of being silvery-white, as in bakkamuna, are fulvous ; 
again, the chin, throat, ruff-feathers, abdomen, and__ breast, 
instead of being white or creamy-white, as in bakkamwna, 
are a rich buffy-fawn. Altogether the bird is a good deal 
smaller, and the lower parts conspicuously more buffy than 
in any specimen of 8. bakkamwna. 
The Malabar Scops Owl is said to be a permanent resident in 
Ratnagiri, and it also occurs in Sind, but is uncommon in both 
districts ; it has not been recorded from any other part of the 
Presidency. It is often confounded with the preceding 
S. bakkamwna. 
SUB-FAMILY Surniine, Kaup. 
Ear orifice small, oval, no operculum ; disc incomplete, or nearly 
obsolete ; no ear-tufts. 
Genus, Carine, Kaup. 
Cere swollen; first primary much lengthened; fifth scolloped 
on the outer web like the fourth; hind tarsus plumed; nostrils 
pierced near the anterior margin of the cere; bill short, curved 
from the base, hooked ; ; lower mandible notched. 
Carine brama, Jem. 
76. —Athene brama, Tem.—Jerdon’s Birds of India, Vol. I, p. 142; 
Butler, Guzerat; Stray Feathers, Vol. III, p. 450; Deccan, 
Stray Feathers, Vol. EXy pusdn; Murray’s Vertebrate Zoology 
of Sind, p. 99; Swinhoe and Baanee. Central India; Ibis, 1885, 
ps O03 Hume's Scrap Book, p. 404. 
THE SPOTTED OWLET. 
Length, 8 to 9°5 ; expanse, 20:05 to 225; wing, 615 to 6°65; 
tail, 2°75 to 3°5; tarsus, 1 to 1:1; bill from gape, 0°78 to 0°84. 
Bill horny-g green ; cere dusky ; ‘irides bright or golden pale- 
yellow ; feet dingy- oreenish. 
Above earthy grey-brown, each feather with two white spots ; 
beneath white, broadly barred, or with cordate brown bars ; tarsal 
feathers not spotted ; wing with five or six white interrupted 
bars, and tail with five ; disc white, edged externally with brown ; 
a dusky-brown patch outside the eye, and a small dark spot 
at the inner canthus ; ear-coverts barred. 
The Spotted Owlet is spread universally throughout India, 
and is exceedingly common in all parts of the Bombay Presi- 
dency, with the exception of the hills, which it does not ascend 
to any great height, its place there being taken by one of the 
next two species; it is a permanent resident, and breeds 
during March and April. Eggs are occasionally found in February, 
but the majority of themare laid in March. It is not  parti- 
cular in its choice of asite for a nest; an old decayed tree will 
afford a lodging to several pairs; in fact, holes in trees are their 
