660 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXIII. 



may be seen at day time roosting in the dense foliage on the alert, Gurrung 

 Jan, E. Dibru, 26-1-02*. K. Dibru, cold season 1903, sex ? Panitola, 17-3-02, 

 cJ ; Silonibari, 24-4-10, $. Ketupa jiavii^es may occur in the hill rivers; 

 this Owl is the largest of the genus, in colour a rich tawny, until actual 

 specimens have been secured. It is impossible to say definitely. K. 

 zeylonensis reaches the base of the hills in North Lakhimpur at all events. 

 Fish Owls observed April 1907. E,. Dejoo*., Subansiri Gorge, January 

 1905,* possibly were K. flavipes. 



319. Ketupa hetupa (Horsf). [1166].— The Malay Fish-Owl. 



Ketupa javanensis, Blanford, F. B. I., Vol. iii., p. 283. 



Common in the forest streams which emerge into the Dibru. 



Eungagora, 16-3-02, J. Cold season 1903 sex. .?, 31-1-04, $ ; Dejoo, 

 North Lakhimpvir, 5-3-11, 5 . A Malay species, in allpirob ability generally 

 distribiited throughout the plains in Upper Assam. Iris bright gamboge 

 yellow ; cere light green ; bill bluish-horn dark on culmen ; tarsus bluish- 

 fleshy ; claws dark horny. 



320. Huhua nipalensis (Hodgs.) [1170]. — The Forest Eagle-Owl. 



An adult procured at Derpai in broad daylight after it had made an 

 attack on some fowls, by Mr. Lindsay Alexander, September 1907. 



16-4-08, a solitary breast feather picked up in new clearance, Eajghur, 

 Dejoo. 



14-10-07*, whilst coming through a "Putti " forest track on my return 

 from Silonibari to Dejoo on the high land, one of these Eagle 

 Owls allowed the elephant to approach right underneath the branch of a 

 tall tree on which it was resting affording a truly impressive sight of this 

 large handsome Owl. This would be about 4 p.m. in good light. It was in 

 no hurry to take flight either and winged its way on doing so very leisurely; 

 the dark irides were very prominent. As this Owl has a similar habitat to 

 Syrnium indvani newarensis it is a most difficult matter to obtain speci- 

 mens and as it cannot be ntimerous if indeed it is not actually rare very 

 little information is forthcoming of its status in the district. 



321. Otus spiloceplialm (Blyth.). [1175]. — The Spotted Himalayan Scops 



Owl. 



Scops spilocephahis, Blanford, F. B. I., Vol.iii., p. 295.- 

 Occurs on both sides of the valley at the foot hills. 

 Margherita, January, February, March ; Dejoo, February, March. 

 Joyhing, 9-2-09, a shot specimen received in flesh in an emaciated condi- 

 tion covered with parasites. A previous example found dead in the Gorge 

 of the Eunganuddie, some distance farther up than this specimen seems to 

 show the prevalence of some disease amongst these owls. 

 Iris pale yellow ; bill and tarsus dull horny pink. 



322. Otus bahhamoena lettia (Hodgs.) [1178]. — The Himalayan Collared 



Scops Owl. 



Scops bakkamoena, Blanford, F. B. I., Vol. iii., p. 297. 

 Eungagora, 18-2-02, $ ; Margherita, 17-1-03, $ . 



The status of O. giu and this species is very imperfectly known owing to 

 insuflicient data. Occurs. On the plains, failed to get any specimens in 

 North Lakhimpur where O. spiloceplialus is the prevalent form. One record, 

 Dejoo, 24-11-07*, lacks substantiation. The Scops Owls have a preference 

 for the verandah railings of one's bungalow much to the consternation of the 

 servants who regard their visit as unlucky and their presence as an ill omen. 



323. Athene bmma brama (Temm.) [1180].— The Spotted Owlet. 

 Confined to the more open tracts of country. Specimens secured at 



