395 
bases by the feet feathers; and the second EH. Plumipes (Sp. 
noy.) as I provisionally designate it, altogether a darker and 
browner bird; the western form it would seem, from Dhurm- 
salla, Koteurh and Simlah, extending to Gurhwal, with the’ 
toes feather ed, (not bristled as in the Athene’ 8), IN some speci- 
mens, half way down the terminal joint, and in all, to the end 
of the subterminal one. 
In size they do not differ greatly, but from the three* speci- 
mens of each that I possess, Zettia seems somewhat the bulkier 
bird, and Plumipes to have the longest wings and most power- 
ful claws. 
The only eggs that I have seen, unmistakably pertaining 
to this species, were taken on the 22nd May, 1869, out of a 
narrow cleft (completely hidden by a small drooping shrub) 
in an overhanging precipice, in the valley of the Surjoo, be- 
tween Petoragurh and Almora, in Kumaon. They were de- 
scribed as laid on a few small sticks, or twigs, amongst which 
a few feathers were interspersed. In all other instances in 
which I have myself found, or have known of the finding of, 
the eggs of any species of Scops Owl in India, they have been 
in hollows of trees, but both parent birds were sent me in this 
instance with the eggs, and I had no reason for doubting my 
collector’s good faith, who, although a native, isa very tolerable 
ornithologist, and so far as my experience goes, very careful and 
reliable. The eggs, three in number, were very spherical in 
shape, pure white and very glossy, and varied from 1°33 to 1:38 
in length, and from 1:18 to 1:2 in breadth. 
Two other eggs, purporting to belong to this species, were sent 
me from near Darjeeling. I cannot vouch for their authen- 
ticity. They measured 1°28 and 1°3 respectively in length, and 
1-4 and 1:15 in breadth. 
Mr. Blyth had the following remarks on this sub-group in 
the Ibis for 1866. 
“ Although Prof. Schlegel does not know of this species (Z. 
Lempiji) as Indian, it is nevertheless common in Malabar and 
Ceylon, where it is undistinguishable from examples from the 
Malayan sub-region. It differs from the series next to be 
noted by its yellow irides. 
This species is always paler and more rufous or more buffy than the next 
(E, Plumipes) and the dark blotches of the head, back, ruff and lower parts, 
are always smaller and much less conspicuous, but inter se, the specimens of 
this present species, vary a good deal in general tone of colouring, some being 
decidedly browner, some more rufous, and some more buffy. 
* Since the above was written L have obtained several other specimens. 
