NOTES. 135 



and failing any evidence of intermediate forms, I think that we 

 must accept nigro-lutea, at present at any rate, as a good 

 species. 



By some misprint, Bubo ketupa, Kaup, is given in Mi-. 

 Sharpe's catalogue, Vol. II., p. 6, as a synonyme of Ketupa 

 flavipes. Kaup's name really applies to K. javanensis, under 

 which it is correctly given, Op. cit. p. 8. 



At page 60 of the 2nd Vol. of his catalogue, Mr. Sharpe 

 describes a new species of Scops from the Eastern Ghats under 

 the name of S. rujipennis. But with all deference to Mr. 

 Sharpe, who is doubtless quite correct, I must say that his 

 description of this species reads uncommonly like the true 

 Scops malabaricus, Jerd. Madr. Jour. Sci XIII., 119, which 

 is found alike on the Eastern and Western Ghats, and which Mr. 

 Sharpe in my opinion wrongly unites with Scops griseus of the 

 same author. I, at any rate, know what Jerdon intended by 

 the two species as he went over my collections with me, and 

 admitting that rujipennis is probably also distinct, certainly 

 malabaricus is quite distinct from griseus. The latter occurs 

 throughout the length and breadth of the land ; the former 

 only in well-wooded, heavy rain-fall districts. 



Then again, surely neither the name malabaricus, (even if it 

 did apply) nor griseus, could stand for the species to which the 

 latter name really applies and to which Mr. Sharpe applies the 

 former also. Most clearly grisetis, Jerdon, of which I have many 

 specimens from Cejdon, is the Strix bakkamuna of John Reinhold 

 Forsters, Zoologia indica, sp. III., p. 13, PI. III., 1795. This 

 plate to my mind fixes the species— it is not bad, and it 

 could not possibly have been intended to represent any other 

 species inhabiting Ceylon. 



Well, this species is also bakkamuna of Lath. Ind Orn. I. 

 56, 1790, and it is also (they mutually quote each other) the 

 Indian eared owl of Lath.'s Syn. I. 127, and the little Hawk" 

 Owl of Ceylon of Pennant's Indian Zoology, t. 3. and the Otus 

 indica of Gmelin, I. 289, No. 20, 1788, by which latter name 

 the species should, I should fancy, stand. 



Athene cuculoides. — The specific name of this species is 

 attributed in the catalogue, to Gould, Cent. Himalay, B. pi. 4. 

 No mention is made of Vigors, who first described the species, 

 Pro. Com. Sci and Corr. Z. S. ; 1830, p. 8. It is just possible 



