342 
No. 60. Strix Indica. Btytu.* 
Tuer Inpian Screech OwWU. 
The Indian representative of the European Barn Owl lays 
(apparently,) in Upper India, from the middle of February, to 
the middle of June ; Mr. R. M. Adam obtained the eggs on the 
10th June, near Agra; Mr. Brookes obtained them near Ktawah 
on the 17th of February ; and I have obtained them on three 
occasions in March, in Allygurh, near Jeypoor, and near 
Lucknow. 
As far as I yet know, they breed either in holes of old build- 
ings or in wells, the latter being the favourite locality, but at 
Ajmere, some native fowlers showed me a pair in a small and 
easily accessible cave, in which they asserted that these birds 
had bred for years. 
In some instances, the eggs appear to be laid on the bare 
ground with but a few grass stems or feathers about them, in 
others there is a small stick nest, much like that of a Pigeon’s. 
According to my experience they lay three eggs, but accor- 
ding to native trappers, sometimes as many as six, and usually 
four. 
The eges, like those of all owls, are unspotted white, but most 
of the specimens that I have seen had, like many of our larger 
owls, eggs, a very faint creamy tinge. In shape, the eggs appear 
* Srrix Inpica. 
Dimenstons.—The females average larger, but I find some males as 
large and heavy as any females that I have examined, and I therefore do 
not give separate dimensions for the sexes. 
Length, 13 to 15°2 ; expanse, 37 to 43°5 ; wing, 11:1 to 12°2. Tail from 
vent, 5°8 to 612. Tarsus, 2°45 to 2°85. Foot, greatest length, 3°4 to 3°67 ; 
greatest breadth, 3°52 to 3°8. Mid toe, to root of claw, 13 to 15; 
its claw, straight, 07 to 0°85; hind toe, 0°65 to 0°75 ; its claw, 
0-7 to O'8; inner toe, 1°08 to 1:35; its claw, 0°83 to 0°95. Bill 
straight from margin of cere to point, 0°78 to 0°88 ; from gape, 1°5 to 1°75 ; 
width at gape from 0°86 to 0.97. Height at front at margin of cere, 0°38, 
to 0°43. Length of cere on culmen, 0.5 to 0°6. The second primary is 
the longest, the first is from 0°12 to 0°8, and the third from 0°05 to 0°3 
shorter. The tail is as nearly as possible even. The closed wings extend 
from 0°25 to 1°2 beyond end of tail. 
DeEscRripTion.—The tarsus is feathered to the feet, but the feathers be- 
come 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, as a rule, but in some very dark, and 
in others yellowish horny, tinged only with brown on the ridges. 
Bill slightly yellowish white, faintly tinged with pinkish towards the 
cere, which is fleshy. 
Trvides, Brown, sometimes almost black. 
