62 Mr. W. Jesse on the 



as eight or ten being found together. It seems less troubled 

 by light than most Owls, and flies well even in broad 

 daylight. 



No. 1161. Syrnium ocellatum. Mottled Wood-Owl. 



Khuska (?) [H.]. 



The Mottled Wood-Owl is not common, but every now 

 and then one comes across it, singly or in pairs. I have 

 only found it in mango-groves. It is a permanent resident, 

 but I have not found the nest. 



No. 1164. Ketupa zeylonensis. Brown Fish-Owl. 



Ghughu* [H.]. 



The Brown Fish-Owl is not very common. I once found 

 its nest — an old hole at the top of a pipal-tree, containing 

 one young bird — about New Year's day near a big jheel in 

 the Rae Bareli district. In the nest were the remains of a 

 dead Teal, probably a wounded bird. 



No. 1168. Bubo bengalensis. Rock Horned Owl. 



A fairly common bird in suitable places, particularly 

 ravines and nullahs. It breeds here, and eggs have been 

 brought to me belonging either to this or to the next species, 

 but I have never got the nest myself. 



No. 1169. Bubo coromandus. Dusky Horned Owl. 



A fairly common and permanent resident, frequenting 

 mango-topes and, according to Reid, having a special pre- 

 ference for big tamarind-trees. All these large Owls fly 

 comparatively well during the day, and sometimes two or three 

 may be aroused at the same time, when they never seem to 

 have any difficulty in making their way through the trees. 

 On one occasion Reid found quite a collection of these three 

 species of Owls inhabiting some pipal- and tamarind-trees 

 in a dense bamboo-clump, which had once apparently been a 

 fort, but had since become a jungle. The natives believe 

 that the hooting of this Owl round a dwelling foretells death 

 to one of the inhabitants. 



* Applied to all the bigger Owls. 



