Birds of Lucknow. 63 



No. 1173. Scops giu. Scops Owl. 



Not very numerous, but possibly this Owl, which hides 

 a great deal, is often overlooked. I have never found the 

 nest, but I have been told by Martiniere boys that its eggs, 

 or more probably those of the next species, are occasionally 

 taken. 



No. 1178. Scops bakkamosna. Collared Scops Owl. 



This pretty little Owl is, I think, a permanent resident, 

 and is perhaps commoner than it seems. It appears very 

 stupid and difficult to flush in the daylight. I once stood 

 and looked right into the face of one of these Owls for some 

 moments. It was perched on a branch of a tree about two feet 

 from my nose, but never flew away, and 1 left it sitting. 

 I have never found the nest, but the eggs to which I have 

 referred above probably belonged to this species. 



The Striated Scops Owl (Scops brucii) has been recorded 

 from Sultanpur just beyond our borders. Vide vol. iii. (Birds) 

 of the ' Fauna of British India/ p. 294. 



No. 1180. Athene brama. Spotted Owlet. 



Khukiisat, Kasuttea (teste Reid), Ulu [H.]. 



This little Owl is very common and a perfect nuisance on 

 a moonlight night in the breeding-season. It keeps up a 

 succession of street- fights, and the squabblings and screechings 

 are worse than those of a whole parish of cats collected in 

 one back area. It breeds in holes of trees — mangos, per- 

 haps, for preference — in March and April, laying four round 

 white eggs. Sometimes the hole is unlined, but usually I 

 think there is more or less of a lining of grass, feathers, or 

 leaves. 



Average of 19 Lucknow eggs 1*25" x 1 "04" 



1-34" x 1-12" 



Measurement of largest egg 



5 e ° I 1-50" x 102" 



„ smallest egg 1-14" x 1-00" 



No. 1184. Glaucidium radiatum. Jungle Owlet. 

 Kalakasut [H., teste Reid]. 



According to Reid this is a very common bird, but I have 

 hardly ever met with it. As it is a terrible skulker, it is 



