154 BIRDS OF BRITISH BURMAH. 



Genus SCOPS, Savigny. 



535. SCOPS PENNATUS. 

 THE INDIAN SCOPS-OWL. 



Scops pennata, Hodgs. J. A. S. B. vi. p. 369 (part.). Ephialtes pennatus, Jerd. 

 B. Ind. i. p. 136 ; Hume, Rough Notes, ii. p. 386. Scops pennatus, Sharpe, 

 Cat. Birds B. Mus. ii. p. 53 ; Hume, 8. F. iii. p. 38 ; Hume fy Dav. S. F. vi. 

 p. 34 ; Crippsj S. F. vii. p. 255 : Hume, S. F. viii. p. 83 ; Bingham, S. F. ix. 

 p. 147 ; Oates, S. F. x. p. 182. Scops bakkamuna, apud BL B. Burin, p. 66. 



Description. General colour of the upper plumage dark grey, closely 

 vermiculated and tipped with brown, the feathers of the head with black 

 streaks, those of the upper back with white patches near the tips ; the 

 scapulars chiefly white on the outer web and barred with black; the 

 ear-tufts rich fulvous on their basal halves ; the tail irregularly barred 

 with pale fulvous and brown ; the earlier primaries with white patches on 

 the outer webs; sides of the neck variegated with black and fulvous; 

 lower plumage a mixture of white, fulvous and black, each feather with a 

 black shaft-stripe. 



The above description is taken from a male shot at Pegu in November ; 

 another male, in December, is much variegated with white above, each 

 feather having several marks on each web. They are obviously the same 

 species. This bird appears to have a rufous phase, but I have never met 

 with it in this plumage. 



Iris bright yellow ; feet brownish yellow ; claws horny ; bill above 

 black, below greenish yellow. (Cripps.) 



Length 8 inches, tail 2*8, wing 5*6, tarsus 1, bill from gape '75. The 

 female is larger. 



This Scops-Owl may be distinguished from the next two by its small 

 size, and by the absence of any well-marked collar on the hind neck and 

 upper back ; its plumage is generally grey, that of the other two most 

 frequently bright rufous, and its legs are very slender. 



The Indian Scops-Owl appears to be found over the whole Province. 

 Mr. Blyth records it from Arrakan. Capt. Feilden procured it at Thayet- 

 myo, and I observed it in Southern Pegu round about Kyeikpadein. Mr. 

 Davison states that it is generally distributed throughout Tenasserim, and 

 Capt. Bingham found it common in the Thoungyeen valley. 



It extends through the Indo-Burmese countries into India, and is found 

 over a great portion of that country. 



The Scops-Owls frequent forests and groves of trees, are nocturnal in 

 their habits, feed entirely on insects, and have a low sibilant note, con- 

 stantly uttered during the breeding-season. They lay two or three eggs 

 in the holes of trees. 



