22 LIST OF BIRDS IN MANIPUS; 



75— Scops lettia, Hodgs. 



Though not often seen, this species occurs commonly alike 

 throughout the basin and along the lower spurs of all the 

 surrounding hills. 



The note of this Owl is woo-oo, a sharply uttered cry, the 

 two syllables almost running into one. It is not very loud 

 and is repeated some ten or a dozen times (after which the 

 bird will remain silent for ten minutes or so) at intervals of 

 about 90 seconds. The note does not approach a whistle ; it is 

 a rather clear and not unmusical call, jerked out rather sharply. 

 I am particular about this, because I shot several in the act 

 of calling, and paid particular attention to the note, in regard 

 to which I have hitherto been in error. It rarely recommences 

 calling without changing its perch. In moonlight nights it is 

 not difficult to follow up by the cry and shoot, but the weather 

 was so bad that it was only on three nights that I was able to go 

 after them. I never heard it so far as my notes show on any 

 of the higher ranges. 



The wings of males measure 6-45 to 7'0 and of females 

 from 6-85 to 7'2. They are all identical with Sikhim, Nepalese, 

 and Kumaon specimens. 



I have this species from N.-E. Cachar, but from nowhere 

 else as yet in Assam. 



Godwin- Austen first recorded a single bird of this type as 

 S. lempiji on the strength of Dr. Jerdon's identification; but 

 there can be little doubt, I think, looking to the dimensions 

 and description that he gives, that this particular specimen was, 

 as he himself had surmised, one of the rufous forms of 8. 

 pennatus. 



But on another occasion he goes on to say that all the Scops 

 he had procured in the Naga hills and Asalu are undoubtedly 

 lempiji. Possibly when he wrote he had not noticed the only 

 constant difference between this latter and lettia, which con- 

 sists in the foot and extreme basal portions of the toes in lettia 

 being feathered, while in lempiji these parts are bare. Certainly 

 all my N.-E. Cachar and Manipur birds are tjrpical lettia, and 

 it seems hardly possible that in the Naga hills, lying imme- 

 diately north of these districts and between them and the 

 Himalayas, the birds should be lempiji. 



Lettia seems generally distributed over Arakan and Pegu, 

 but in Tenasserim is replaced by the doubtfully distinct lempiji, 

 or at any rate the Malayan form which (never having seen a 

 Javan specimen myself) we call lempiji. This latter also strag- 

 gles into the S.-E. corner of Pegu. 



