416 MR. E. W. H. HOLDSWORTH ON CEYLONESE BIRDS. [Mar. 5, 



by the distant roar of the surf. For several hours I had been 

 watching the small drinking-hole in front of me ; and it was now 

 time for the Bears to come if they meant to visit the pool at all that 

 night. I was eagerly scrutinizing the openings among the bushes, 

 when piercing cries and convulsive screams suddenly issued from a 

 small patch of bushy jungle about thirty yards on the left of my hiding- 

 place. My hunter at first thought a Leopard was there, and told me 

 to keep quiet ; but the cries increased, and became so horribly ago- 

 nizing, that it was difficult to believe murder was not being com- 

 mitted ; so, jumping up with my double rifle in my hand, I ran 

 cautiously down to the patch of jungle, my trusty servant following 

 with a second gun. Before I reached the place all was as silent as 

 before, and the idea of the Devil-bird flashed across my mind. This 

 was afterwards confirmed by the hunter, who, however, did not 

 apparently care to talk much about it. A careful examination of 

 the sandy ground among and around the bushes when daylight ap- 

 peared resulted in no evidence of any tracks of Leopards or recent 

 traces of other quadrupeds. I have no doubt, therefore, that it was 

 this dreaded Owl which had disturbed our night watch ; and although 

 my sport was spoilt for the night, I did uot regret having heard for 

 once the really appalling cries of this ill-omened bird. The dimen- 

 sions of a Ceylon specimen are: — Length 20 inches, wing 13, tar- 

 sus 2. 



Ceylon, S. India, Malacca, Formosa (Swinhoe). 



28. Huhua pectoralis, Jerdon. 



Some three or four years ago, whilst I was in Ceylon, Mr. Samuel 

 Bligh brought to me for identification some specimens of a Horned 

 Owl, which appeared to us, after examination, to be identical with 

 Huhua nipalensis, Hodgson, except in being smaller, but agreeing 

 in that respect with the measurements of a bird from S. India 

 described by Jerdon as H. pectoralis. Considerable confusion has 

 existed between H. nipalensis, Hodgs., from Nepal, II. pectoralis, 

 Jerdon, from S. India, and H. orientalis, Horsfield, from Java ; and 

 the subject is referred to by Jerdon (B. of Ind. vol. i. p. 132) as a 

 matter on which "materials are wanting to form a just conclusion." 

 Jerdon has since (Ibis, 18/1, p. 346) stated his opinion that the 

 Nepal species will stand, and has united the other two under H. 

 orientalis — but, I understand, in the absence of a specimen from 

 S. India for direct comparison. 



A. comparison of one of the Ceylon birds with specimens of true 

 H. orientalis and H. nipalensis in the British Museum has satis- 

 factorily shown, however, that they are three very distinct species, 

 and that the Ceylon bird is very probably the same as H. pectoralis 

 from S. India. In this conclusion I am supported by Mr. Gurney 

 and Lord Walden. 



H. pectoralis may be described as like H. nipalensis, but very 

 much smaller, both of them wanting the closely barred plumage of 

 H. orientalis. It is, I think, evident from Jerdon's measurements 

 of H. nipalensis that they were taken from a Malabar specimen of 



