Ornithology of Gilg'it. 425 



mon up to the middle of May. Females are rather darker 

 and more boldly marked than males ; but the difference is 

 not so conspicuous as in Asio brachyotus. 



26. Asio BRACHYOTUS (Gmcl.) . 



The Short-eared Owl is found in Gilgit on passage, being 

 fairly common from the middle of April to the middle of 

 May, and again on its way southwards from the beginning 

 of November to the 20th December. The females are much 

 darker than the males, and have the black marks more pro- 

 minent and the general colour more buff. Major Biddulph^s 

 remarks have reference to this sexual difference, I think, as 

 he only had a male from Gilgit before him when his note 

 was written. 



27. Bubo turcomanus, Eversmann. 



I agree with Messrs. Biddulph and Marshall that this Owl 

 is specifically distinct from Bubo iynavus. I did not obtain 

 a specimen of B. turcomanus in Gilgit ; but, as far as my 

 memory serves me. Major Biddulph's specimen is identical 

 with the Eagle Owl I obtained in Yarkand {' Stray Feathers,^ 

 iv. p. 129, 1876), which is certainly distinct from B. ignavus. 

 Eversmann^s Eagle Owl is probably only a rare straggler to 

 Gilgit in winter. 



Bubo ignavus, Forst. 



A pale form of the Eagle Owl is not uncommon in Gilgit 

 in winter at an elevation of about 5000 feet. Two males 

 measured — length 24'8 and 25*5 inches, wing 17" 1 and 17'2, 

 tail 10, tarsus 2'7, bill from gape 1"9 ; one of these examples 

 weighed 3 lb. 5 oz.; the third primary is the longest, the 

 second a little longer than the fourth, and the first primary 

 is intermediate in length between the fifth and sixth. 



Compared with a large series oi B. ignavus these specimens 

 differ greatly in colour, being much paler and less rufous ; 

 indeed two high authorities on the birds of prey, on seeing 

 these skins, would not admit that they were to be assigned to 

 B. ignavus, and suggested that they should be compared with 

 B. bengalensis. But B. bengalensis is much smaller, the 

 largest temale not measuring more than 16 inches in length 



