SCOPS. 105 



and Almora, in Kumaon. They were described as laid on a few 

 small sticks, or twigs, amongst which a few feathers were inter- 

 spersed. 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, 

 is a 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 

 inch in length, and from 1*18 to 1*2 inch in breadth. 



Two other eggs, purporting to belong to this species, were sent 

 me from near Darjeeling. I cannot vouch for their authenticity. 

 They measured 1'28 and 1*3 inch respectively in length, and 1/14 

 and 1-15 inch in breadth. 



This species extends to Burma. Mr. Gates writes from Pegu : 

 " March 24th. This bird selects a small hole in medium- sized 

 trees. Two nests, each with three young birds/varying in age from 

 a fortnight to three weeks." 



Scops plumipes, Hume. The Plume-foot Scops-Owl. 

 Scops plumipes, Hwne ; Hume, Rough Draft N. fy E. no. 75 bis. 



Tour eggs of this species, the Plume-foot Scops-Owl, together 

 with the female bird, were sent me from Kotegurh, where the latter 

 had been captured on the eggs, in a hole in a tree. The eggs were 

 taken on the 13th of May and were partly incubated. They are 

 intermediate in size between those of Carine brctma and Glaucidium 

 cuculoideS) but they are more spherical than either. They are of 

 course pure white and slightly glossy. They do not appear to be 

 quite as large as some of those of S. baJckamitna that I possess. 



In size they vary from 1-26 to 1-28 inch in length, and from 1-1 

 to 1'5 inch in breadth. 



Scops bakkamuna (Forst.). Forster's Scops-Owl. 

 Scops bakhamuna (Forst.), Hume, Rough Draft N. $ E. no. 75 ter. 



Forster's Scops-Owl ($. griseus, Jerd.), by far the commonest 

 species of this genus in India, is widely distributed through the 

 Punjaub, the Xorth- Western Provinces, Eajpootana, the Central 

 Provinces, Oudh, and Ceylon. Throughout these provinces it 

 breeds ; as a rule, being confined to the plains and the lower 

 ranges that intersect these, but occurring occasionally in the Hima- 

 layas also to an elevation of say 6000 feet. I have received speci- 

 mens (in many cases with the eggs also) from Dera Grhazee Khan, 

 Hansee, the Doon, Almora, Bareilly, Etawah, Jhansee, Saugor, 

 Mount Aboo, Eaepore, Sumbulpore, and intermediate localities, 

 and lately from Ceylon. This species lays from the middle of 

 January to the beginning of April, invariably, as I believe, in holes 



