332 letters to the editor. 



Sir, 



In the last issue of Stray Feathers, recently to band, appeare 

 a particularly interesting account of the Wood Owl (Syrnium 

 indranee, Sykes), from the pen of W. Vincent Legge, Esq., 

 R.A., of Ceylon, in which he refers to certain local ornithologists 

 who have credited this species with uttering the most diabolical 

 screams, which he scouts as a libel on his evidently-favorite 

 bird, and I think rightly so. Perhaps I may be able to throw 

 some light on this apparently-obscure point, which will not be 

 devoid of interest to that gentleman and others. 



The reason why the Cingalese differ so widely as to size of 

 the bird which makes the sounds alluded to above, is, I sur- 

 mise, because they probably, in common with the Bengalis, 

 regard the notes of two different genera of the family Strigidae 

 with terror, — the one large in size, and the other small. Both 

 these birds I have many years ago shot now and again while 

 in the act of giving forth their discordant sounds, for the con- 

 flicting statements of the natives regarding them was puzzling 

 in the extreme, and no one, either European or Native, to 

 whom I applied as likely to afford me information on the subject, 

 could give me ought save the most vague and contradictory 

 accounts. 



During the close of the cold season and commencement of the 

 warm weather, I have here frequently been awakened very late 

 at night from a sound sleep by cries which closely resembled 

 those of two infants in distress, heard alternately from different 

 places out of doors. On enquiry of the native guard, in the 

 verandah from whence proceeding the noise, the invariable reply 

 was, that evil spirits were abroad in the form of owls, and he 

 dreaded to molest them in any way, lest their ire should be 

 aroused against him, and he be inflicted with illness. When I 

 was disposed to leave the bed rather than suffer a continuance 

 of the disagreeable sounds, I used to take down my fowling 

 piece, and follow the dh'ection of the cries (greatly to the 

 horror of the guard, who followed me most reluctantly at a 

 respectful distance), and having discovered the bird calling out, 

 brought it down with a shot. This was the large-sized Owl, 

 which I take to be the Indian Screech Owl (Strix indica, 

 Blyth), but I must candidly admit that I have never identi- 

 fied it by comparing it with undoubted specimens of this species. 

 The natives designated the bird Bhutum Pecha (no doubt from 

 Bhut, signifying "demon," "ghost," etc.), which I have trans- 

 lated as " Groblin-Owl," so if I am wrong in the scientific 

 denomination I have assigned to it, the Editor will be able 

 probably to set me right. The horrible cries uttered 



