FOR NORTHERN INDIA 195 



cribed to this species. With this object he 

 kept one of these owls captive for several 

 weeks ; the bird steadfastly refused to utter a 

 sound. One hoot would have purchased its 

 liberty ; but the bird would not pay the price : 

 it sulked and hissed. The bird in question, 

 although called a fish-owl, does not live chiefly 

 on fish. Like others of its kind it feeds on 

 birds, rats and mice. Hume found in the 

 nest of this species two quails, a pigeon, a dove 

 and a myna, each with the head, neck and 

 breast eaten away, but with the wings, back, 

 feet and tail remaining almost intact. " Eha " 

 has seen the bird stoop on a hare. The 

 individual kept by the writer throve on raw 

 meat. This owl is probably called the fish-owl 

 because it lives near rivers and tanks and 

 invariably nests in the vicinity of water. 

 The nest may be in a tree or on a ledge 

 in a cliff. Sometimes the bird utilises the 

 deserted cradle of a fishing-eagle or vulture. 

 The structure which the bird itself builds is 

 composed of sticks and feathers and, occa- 

 sionally, a few dead leaves. Two white eggs 

 are laid. The breeding season lasts from 

 December to March. 



The rock horned-owl (Bubo bengalensis} is of 

 Q 



