98 A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF GILGIT. 
27.—Bubo turcomanus, Zversm. (68 quat.) 
I agree with Messrs. Biddulph and Marshall that this Owl 
is specifically distinct from Bubo ignavus. I did not obtain 
a specimen of B. turcomanus. in Gilgit; but, as far as my 
memory serves me, Major Biddulph’s specimen is identical 
with the Eagle Owl I obtained in Yarkand (Stray Fearusrs, 
IV., p. 129, 1876), which is certainly distinct from B. ignavus. 
Eversmann’s Hagle Owl is probably only a rare straggler to 
Gilgit in winter. 
Bubo ignavus, Forst. (68 ter.) 
A pale form of the Eagle Owl is not uncommon in Gilgit 
in winter at an elevation of about 5,000 feet. Two males 
measured :—Length, 24°8 and 25:5 inches; wing, 17:1 and 17:2; 
tail, 10 ; tarsus, 2°7 ; bill from gape, 1:9. One of these examples 
weighed 3 lb. 5 0z.; the third primary is the longest, the 
second a little longer than the fourth, and the first primary 
is intermediate in length between the fifth and sixth. 
Compared with a large series of B. ignavus these specimens 
differ greatly in colour, being much paler and less rufous ; 
indeed two high authorities on the birds of prey, on seeing 
these skins, would not admit that they were to be assigned to 
B. ignavus, and suggested that they should be compared with 
B. bengalensis. But B. bengalensis is much smaller, the 
largest female not measuring more than 16 inches in length 
of wing (in four specimens I have measured, the wings vary 
from 14°75 to 15:5); the wing is differently shaped, the fourth 
quill being the longest, and the second half an inch shorter 
than the fourth; there is more black on the back and minor 
wing-coverts ; and the toes are less feathered. 
My Gilgit birds are specifically distinct from the Yarkand 
specimens which I refer to B. turcomanus, and are doubtless 
the same as the specimen recorded as follows in P. Z. 8., 1860, 
. 99:—“Mr. Sclater exhibited a specimen of a large Horned 
Owl shot by Major W. E. Hay, F. Z.8., upon the borders of 
the Pangkong Lake, in Thibet. He was disposed to consider 
the bird as a pale variety of Budo maximus.” This form of 
Eagle Owl, which appears to be confined to the interior of 
the Himalayas, should perhaps be distinguished from B. ignavus, 
at least as a sub-species, and would then probably bear the title 
Bubo hemachalanus, Hume. 
28.—Scops pennatus, Hodgs. (74.) 
In addition to the specimen in my collection mentioned by 
Major Biddulph, I cbtained a female of this Owl in Gilgit 
on the 4th October, which measured :—Length, 7:9 inches ; wing, 
