GLA.UCIDIUM. 305- 



1183. Glaucidium cuculoides. The Large Barred Owlet. 



Noctua cuculoides, Vigors, P. Z. S. 1830, p. 8 ; Gould, Cent. pL 4. 

 Athene cuculoides, Blyth, Cat. p. 38 ; Horsf. Sf M. Cat. i, p. 66 ; 



Jerdon, 7?. /. i, p. 145 ; Stoliczka, J. A. S. B. xxxvii, pt. 2, p. 17 ; 



Hume, Rouf/h Notes, p. 414 ; Godw.-Aust. J. A. S. B. xxxix, pt. 2. 



p. 94; xlvii, pt. 2, p. 22; Hume, N. $ E. p. 71; id. S. F. iii, 



p. 39; v, p. 135 ; InyKs, S. F. v, p. 16: Wardl. Rams. Ibis, 1877. 



p. 454 ; C. H. T. Marshall, Ibis, 1884, p. 408. 

 Athene whiteleyi, Blyth, Ibis, 1867, p. 313 ; Blyth $ Wald. Birds 



Burm. p. 66. 

 Glaucidium cuculoides, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. ii, p. 219 ; Hume $ Dav. 



S. F. vi, p. 37 ; Ball, S. F. vii, p. 201 ; Hume, Cat. no. 79 ; 



Scully, S. F. viii, p. 232 ; Oates, B. B. ii, p. 162 ; id. in Hume's 



N. fy E. 2nd ed. iii, p. 113 ; Salvadori, Ann. Mus. Civ. Gen. (2) 



iv, p. 572 ; v, p. 558 ; Hume, S. F. xi, p. 23. 

 Burra dundul, H. (Chamba) ; Tangpum, Lepcha. 



Coloration. Lores whitish with black tips ; a narrow band over 

 the eye white ; sides of head, including ear-coverts, crown, and all 

 the upper parts, olive-brown, sometimes rufous, with white, buff, or 

 rufous cross-bars ; some white patches on the outer scapulars and 

 larger wing-coverts ; quills brown, with pale bars, becoming whitish 

 spots on the inner and outer webs, and growing whitish throughout 

 on the secondaries, which are tipped with the same colour ; tail 

 dark brown, with from 6 to 8 white bars, including the terminal 

 one ; the bars are generally interrupted and broken at the shafts ; 

 chin and moustachial stripe and the lower throat white ; remainder 

 of throat, breast, flanks, and legs dark olive-brown, with white or 

 pale rufous bars ; abdomen white, with rather irregular olive or 

 rufous streaks. 



Young birds are rufescent brown, with small buff spots on the 

 head and nape ; the back and breast not barred, the only bars 

 being on the wings and tail. 



Bill pale green ; cere brown ; irides bright yellow ; legs greenish 

 yellow (Oates). 



Length about 9 ; tail 3-4 ; wing 5-8 ; tarsus 1 ; bill from gape -8. 



Distribution. Throughout the Himalayas as far west as Hazara, 

 chiefly at elevations from 2000 to 6000 feet, also in Assam, 

 Cachar, Manipur, and throughout Burma as far south as Tavoy, 

 being very common in Northern Tenasserim. This Owl is occa- 

 sionally met with in Bengal, and has been recorded at Calcutta 

 and in the Kajmehal hills, whilst Hume received a specimen from 

 the southern portion of the Mirzapur district. G. whiteleyi, which 

 appears to be only a large variety, is found throughout Southern 

 China. 



Habits, $-c. This is one of the least nocturnal of all Owls, and 

 may often be seen in full sunlight, sometimes even at midday, sit- 

 ting on trees or stumps, or moving about and feeding in shady 

 gardens or jungle. It keeps to thin tree- or bamboo-jungle or 

 gardens, and feeds partly on insects, but also on small birds and 

 mammals. The cry is a peculiar cackle, like a laugh, called by 



VOL. III. X 



