354



Mr. Frank Finn,



seen when holding a bird by the wings, when it will open and

close its toes, these act in pairs, the two inner being opposed to

the two outer, only the action is lateral, not fore-and-aft as

in most pair-toed birds. The bird is easily captured, as it often

comes into rooms; I have tried to see the position of the legs in

flight, and by watching a rather tired bird as it flew round show¬

ing its feet, noticed that these were carried rather behind than

before, whereas Swallows carry their feet forward, like the rest

of the passerine group to which they belong.


Horsfirld’s Nightjar. Caprimulgns macrurus.


This bird hops when on the ground, whereas most Night¬

jars runs.


Common Coucal. Centropus sinensis.


A bird of this species in the Calcutta Zoo, which had been

reared by me, and had never to my knowledge seen a snake,

attacked one when given, making for the head and neck, and

mortally injured it. Immediately after this, although usually

fond of being caressed and fondled, it was averse to being

handled. In feeding this bird puts its foot on a large morsel

like a crow. It casts no pellets.


Barn Owl. Slrixflammea.


Two skins of the Andamanese race of this bird were in

the Indian Museum. These had the wings short and rounded ;

those of one (No. 1866, Anikhet) did not nearly reach the end of

tail ; the first quill was half an inch shorter than the second ;

the second, third and fourth were sub-equal. This was, however,

I think, barely full-fledged. I11 the second, received by myself

alive on Ross Island (No. 21732) the wings just reached the end

of the tail ; the skin however was not so well made ; the first quill

was a very little longer than in the other, the second and third

sub-equal and longest; the fourth sub-equal to the first. The

wings are thus on the whole shorter and broader than in the

typical Barn-Owl, but I may add the bird is 011 the whole quite

as big, being more stoutly and powerfully built, with stronger

bill and claws. This was also easily seen in a living bird which

was kept in the Calcutta Zoo along with a ordinary mainland

specimen. This, like the two Museum birds, was dark in

plumage, as described by Blauford for this race, but the



