40 BIRDS OF TENASSERIM. 



grasped in its claws. The Owlet must have gone into the 

 nest-hole, which I found in the same tree, and thence forcibly 

 carried off the little nestling. — W. D.] 



The following are the dimensions, &c, recorded in the flesh 

 of three males and a female : — 



Males. — Length, 62 to 6 - 3 ; expanse, 13*1 to 1375; tail from 

 vent, 2-1 to 222 ; wing, 3-55 to 37; bill from gape, 0*7 to 

 0-8; weight, 1-61 to 2 ozs. 



Female. — Length, 6'75 ; expanse, 13*75 ; tail from vent, 2'4; 

 wing, 3 - 75 ; tarsus, 0*8; bill from gape, 0*75; weight, 2"0 ozs. 



Legs and feet pale green ; claws dark horny ; bill and gape 

 yellowish green ; cere pale green ; irides bright yellow. 



81 ter.— Ninox burmanica, Hume (11). S. F., IV., 285. 



(Karen Hills, Lloyd ; Tonglioo, Rams.) Kollidoo ; Kyouknyat ; Pahpoon ; near 

 Meetan ; Amherst ; Mergui. 



Generally distributed alike in hills and plains throughout 

 the province. 



[Hawk Owls are fairly common, but like all nocturnal birds 

 are much more often heard than seen. This species, though 

 not so early as G. cuculoides in making its appearance of an 

 evening, is about soon after sunset catching insects, such as 

 mcths, beetles, &c. During the day it roosts in some thick 

 shady tree, and if flushed, seldom flies far, and is easily followed 

 up and shot — W. D.] 



After the examination of a very large series from different 

 parts of India, Ceylon, Burma and the Malay Peninsular, I 

 am of opinion that the Tenasserim form is a clearly distinguish- 

 able race, which I would define as follows : — 



Upper surface dull dark, somewhat smoky brown, much darker 

 than in any specimens of lugubris from the plaius of Pegu, or 

 any part of India, not so dark as in scutulata from Malacca, 

 Singapore, and Sumatra, about as dark as the generality of the 

 somewhat paler race of scutulata from Ceylon, and the extreme 

 south of the Indian Peninsular, which, if considered distinct, 

 must stand as hirsutus. 



Head uniform with the back ; tail intermediate between scutu- 

 lata and lugubris ; lower surface more blotched with reddish 

 brown, and less white than lugubris ; axillaries and wing-lining 

 mingled fulvous buff and brown. 



Wing, 8 3 to 8 - 8 (10 males and females measured,) from 

 Mergui, Meetan, Amherst, Pahpoon, Kyouknyat, Kollidoo, 

 against 7*1 to 8*3 in scutulata (12 males and females measured.; 



Cachar birds are similar in size, or are a trifle larger but are 

 darker still, being as dark as the little scutulata. For the 

 Cachar birds I proposed the name of innominata, S. R, IV., 



