400 MR. R. C. BEAVAN ON INDIAN RAPTORES. [Juiie 1 1, 



tipped slightly with fulvous and white; lower parts pure white, with 

 a slight tinge of fulvous about the breast ; eye-streak pure black. 



61. Strix CANDIDA, Tickcll. 



A desideratum in the Norwich Museum (Gurney in epist. 

 January 1866). 



I myself have observed this species only once. When hunting for 

 leopards in the district of Rungpore, in 1859, several were put up 

 out of grass at the bottom of a half-dried-up piece of water, in thick 

 jungle. 



Q&. Syrnium nivicolum, Hodg. 



" I greatly doubt whether this species is really distinct from 

 S. aluco of Europe" (Gurney in epist.). 



68. Otus brachyotus, Gmel. The Short-eared Owl. 



At Ambekanuggur, in Maunbhoom, in December 1 864, a pair of 

 large owls came regularly every evening, just after the stars began 

 to make their appearance, and worked over the rice-kates in which 

 our survey-camp was pitched, apparently for rats. They were so 

 wary that, although I sat up several nights in succession, I never 

 could manage to intercept them. At last, by the merest chance, I 

 secured one, which turned out to be of this species. Their cry is 

 very much like that of a frog when seized by a snake — so much so, 

 that a friend of mine, hearing it close to his tent one night, rushed 

 out in some alarm, with lighted candle and a thick stick, to pi-event 

 the supposed snake from entering his sleeping-apartment. The only 

 thing besides that I can compare this cry to is the peculiar mew of 

 a cat which one sometimes hears. 



I procured another specimen at Umballah, on November 6th, 1866. 

 Dimensions as follows: — Length \A\, wing \\\, tail 4, tarsus 1|; 

 spread of foot underneath about 3 ; bill at front 1 in., at gape l^^^^., 

 extent 37| inches. The species was not uncommon about the jungles 

 there, being generally flushed out of long grass. 



69. Urrtja bengalensis, Frank. The Rock Horned Owl. 



This species was found in some abundance by me in the INIaun- 

 bhoom district, and several specimens killed. At Beeru, a village 

 on the road from Perulia to Raneeguuge, and also on the Rognath- 

 pore Hill ; and in all the bear-frequented, rocky and hilly spots in 

 that district they are abundant. They live amongst the rocks, and 

 frequently take to a dead tree bough, if close by, when they are 

 turned up by the coolies one engages to beat out Master I3ruin 

 (JJrsus lahiatus) from his and their abode. 



•' The identity or otherwise of this species with Buho ascala- 

 phus of Northern Africa is still an unsettled point" (Gurney in 

 epist.). 



71. HuHUA NiPALENsis, Hodg. Tlis Forcst Eagle-Owl. 



I once procured a fine specimen of this species, at Darjeeling, in 



