270 ASIONIDJE. 



Distribution. Only found as yet in the Ceylon hills, near Kandy, 

 where this bird appears rare, as very few specimens have hitherto 

 been obtained. 



Habits, Sfc. Like P. badius this is a thoroughly nocturnal species, 

 living in dense forest. It appears to breed about the end of the 

 year ; makes a nest of dry twigs, moss, and feathers in a hollow 

 tree, and lays, in the only instance yet recorded, 3 eggs. 



Subfamily ASIONIN^E. 



Ear-orifice large, exceeding the eye in size, lunate or ovoid in 

 shape, and furnished with an operculum. Facial disk well-marked 

 and nearly as high above the eyes as below them ; ruff distinct. 



The Owls of this subfamily are of moderate or large size, with 

 feathered tarsi. Two genera are Indian. 



Key to the Genera. 



a. Aigrettes present : 2nd quill longest ; iris yellow. Asio, p. 270. 



b. No aigrettes : 3rd, 4th, or 5th quill longest ; iris 



dark SYBNIUM, p. 273. 



Genus ASIO, Brisson, 1760. 



Aigrettes or ear-tufts present, but varying in size ; ear-orifice 

 very large, furnished with an operculum. Bill short and strong, 

 the part covered by the cere is longer than that beyond the cere 

 measured in a straight line from base to front. Tarsus and upper 

 surface of toes thickly covered with feathers. Euff complete or 

 nearly so ; facial disk well-marked, and extending nearly as far 

 above the eye as beneath it. Wings long and pointed, 2nd quill 

 longest, 3rd subequal ; tail moderate, rounded. Iris yellow. 



Key to the Species. 



a. Transverse dark markings as well as longitu- 



dinal stripes on abdomen A. otus, p. 270. 



b. Only longitudinal shaft-stripes on abdomen . A. accipitrinus, p. 271. 



1156. Asio otus. The Long-eared Owl. 



Strix otus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 132 (1766). 



Otus vulgaris, Fleming, Brit. An. p. 56 (1828) ; Horsf. $ M. Cat. 



p. 79 ; Jerdon, B. 1. i, p. 125 ; Stoliczka, J. A. S. B. xxxvii, pt. 2, 



p. 17 ; xli, p. 231 ; Hume, Rough Notes, p. 361 ; Jerdon, Ibis, 



1871, p. 345 ; 2)oi ff 8f Butler, S. F. vii, p. 503. 

 Asio otus, Lesson, Man. oVOrn. i, 



Cat. B. M. ii 



p. 45 ; Scully, 



Ibis, 1889, p. 154. 



