BUBONID/E. 



The above is Mr. Hume's description of Scops indicus, Gm., which, he says 

 (on page 506, vol. vii. Sir. F.} is identical with Scops griscus (jiialabaricus of 

 Sharpe, Cat. Striges, B. M.) and Scops bakkamcena of Forster. Sharpe, how- 

 ever, does not in his references to the literature of this species allude to the 

 names given by Gmelin and Forster. 



Jfab.S'md, Punjab, N.-W. Provinces, Oudh, Bengal, Central India, Madras, 

 Malabar Coast, Travancore, Ceylon, Eastern and Western Ghauts, North 

 Guzerat, and Ratnagiri (S. Concan). Like the preceding species, it occurs 

 in Sind, but is uncommon, and affects wooded districts only. 



Breeds in holes of trees ; nest commonly lined with leaves ; eggs white, 

 glossy and spherical. Nests have been taken during March and April in Sind, 

 Central Provinces (Etawah) and near Hansi. 



96. Scops sagitatUS, Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. ii. p. 98; Oates, 

 B. Br. B urinali,, vol. ii. p, 156 ; Hume and Davison, S. F. vi. p. 35 ; Hume, 

 S. F. viii. p. 83. Ephialtes sagitatus, Cass. Journ. Acad. Philad. ii. p. 90, 

 pi. 12. THE LARGE MALACCAN SCOPS OWL. 



The whole upper plumage a rather rich chestnut ; the wings barred on the in- 

 ner webs with brown and the tail irregularly banded with the same ; each 

 feather of the upper plumage with small arrow-head fulvous marks in the centre, 

 and some narrow wavy black lines across ; the forehead for a depth of nearly an 

 inch, a broad supercilium and the inner webs of most of the feathers of the 

 eartufts white ; the shafts of the feathers of the forehead nearly black ; the tips of 

 the tufts and the top of the head a darker chestnut than the back, and without any 

 marks- The long feathers on the sides of the neck, indicating a ruff, whitish, 

 broadly tipped with blackish ; lower webs vermiculated with brown ; the breast 

 with small dark brown shaft spots and a narrow vermiculation ; abdomen and 

 vent with some rather large distinct black shaft spots on the feathers. 



Bill, feet and claws, bluish white; cere pale bluish green; irides deep brown. 

 (T)avison). Ex. Oates. 



Length. loto ii'S inches; wing 7-15 to 7*2; tail 4-5 to 5; tarsus 1*2 to 1*25, 



Nab. Malewoon in South Tennaserim ; the Southern slopes of the Mooleyit 

 Mountain. (Davison)wi& Malacca. Of its habits and nidification nothing 

 is known. 



97- Scops balli, ffume, Sir. F. i. p. 53 ; Sharpe, Cat. Striges, vol. ii. 

 p. IOO. Ephialtes spilocephalus, Ball. Str. F.i. p. 53. BALL'S SCOPS OWL. 



Adult (type of species). General color above rufous chocolate, with a few 

 fine nearly obsolete vermiculations of black, the whole upper surface with more 

 or less concealed spots of rufous buff, very minute on the crown, but much 

 more distinct on the back, where they form almost bars, all the light 

 spots having a blackish margin ; scapular feathers externally barred with 

 white, the interspaces very pale, and inclining to ochraceous j wing coverts 



