A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF NEPAL. 229 



Bill bluish black, yellowish at base of lower mandible ; cere 

 and gape rich yellow ; irides brown; feet greenish yellow; claws 

 black. 



Of these two specimens one was shot in the Tarai in 

 December, and the other in the valley of Nepal in February. 



This small dark Kite is rare in the valley, but perhaps more 

 common in the Tarai and plains of Nepal. It is readily dis- 

 tinguished from govinda by having no mottled white patch 

 on the lower surface of the primaries below the under wing- 

 coverts ; it is also smaller, darker and more brilliantly coloured 

 about the cere and gape. Young birds of this species appear 

 to have a little white mottling on the lower surface of the pri- 

 maries near the coverts, but this is always conspicuously less 

 than in govinda at any age. 



60.— Strix javanica, Gm. 



Male, Valley, 1th May. — Length, 14; expanse, 40 ; wing, 12*1 ; 

 tail, 5*3 ; tarsus, 2 '5 ; bill from gape, 1*6 ; closed wings reach 

 beyond tip of tail, 07. 



Bill white, faintly tinged pink ; cere whitish fleshy ; iris 

 blackish brown ; toes dirty whitish ; claws brownish horny, 

 greyish on lower surface. 



Female, Valley, '2Qth January. — Length, 15; expanse, 41 ; wing, 

 12'25 ; tail, 5*6 ; tarsus, 2 5 ; bill from gape, 1'6 ; from anterior 

 margin of cere to point of bill, straight, 0'8 ; closed wings reach 

 beyond tip of tail, 1-2 ; length of cere, 0*7 ; weight, 14ozs. 



Bill horny white, tinged pink about the nostrils, and dusky 

 along margin of upper mandible ; cere, gape and basal part of 

 lower mandible pale pinkish fleshy ; irides dark brown ; edges of 

 eyelids black ; toes sullied whitish ; claws dark brownish 

 horny. 



The Indian Screeeh-Owl is a permanent resident in the 

 valley, but does not appear to occur there in any great num- 

 bers. It is usually seen in the evenings about woods, groves 

 and large gardens. One of my specimens had captured and 

 eaten a Shrew {Soreoc camlescens) shortly before it was shot ; 

 the bird in consequence had a strong musky odour, and this 

 smell could be detected about its skin for many months 

 afterwards. 



64.— Syrnium newarense, Hodgs. 



Mule, Valley, June. — Length, 21; expanse, 55; wing, 15*7; 

 tail, 9-8; tarsus, 2-3; bill from gape, 1*72; bill at front, 

 1-7; length of cere, I'O; depth of closed bill at anterior 

 margin of cere, 0'85 ; width of bill at gape, 1*45 ; closed 

 wings short of tail, 1'8. 



