16 * A FIRST LIST OF THE BIRDS 



with a number of Bulbuls and King crows. I have not again 

 seen them. — J. I." 



59— Elanus melanopterus, Daud. 



" The Black-winged Kite is rather rare. I have only seen 

 about half a dozen in 4 years ; it frequents thin grass lands and 

 when hunting hovers very like a Kestrel. — J. I." 



60.— Strix javanica, Gm. 



" I have only shot one of these Owls, but I have been told 

 that it is not uncommon in the villages. — J. 1." 



72.— Ketupa ceylonensis, Gm. 



" The Fishing Owl is rather common ; it is easily known from 

 its call. I caught a full-fledged } r oung bird this year on the 

 15th of March ; it got to be quite tame, and ate flesh as freely 

 as fish. I once surprised a pair of them feeding on the carcass 

 of an alligator which I had shot a few days previously. — J. I." 



75.— Scops lettia, Hodgs. 



u One of these pretty Owls was caught by my servants in 

 the bungalow in November 1874. — J. I." 



A single specimen exactly similar to some specimens from 

 Sikhim, but perhaps slightly smaller. 



76.— Athene brama, Tem. 



" This little Owlet is very common, it may often be seen 

 peering out of a hole in the trunk of a tree at mid-day. — J. I." 



79.— Athene cuculoides, Vig. 



" The Large-barred Owlet is very common. May be seen 

 flitting from tree to tree during all hours of the day. — J. I." 



81 quat.— Ninox innominata, nobis. Vide S. F. Vol. 

 IV., pp. 286 and 374. 



" I have often met with this Owl at dusk. — J. I." 

 Three specimens, all belonging to the type which Mr. Sharpe, 

 Cat. B. Vol. II., 156, includes under scutu'lata, Raffles, but which I 

 prefer to separate, being confident in my own mind that the 

 Sumatran bird will turn out to be a different and considerably 

 smaller bird. All three of the specimens before me must have 

 been fully 13 inches in length, and I do not believe that Raffles, 

 speaking of such a bird, would have said 10 inches. 



Moreover, birds from Malacca and the Straits (as also from 

 Ceylon and the Hills in South Travancore) which are most 



