138 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



that bird. Indian specimens, even in the grey plumage, can 

 generally be distinguished from European ones, though it is diffi- 

 cult to describe in words in what the difference exists. Two 

 European specimens of S. zorca in the Museum As. Soc, Cal- 

 cutta, differ from Indian specimens of pennatus in the upper 

 plumage being more conspicuously streaked, in the bands on the 

 quills bemg lighter, and in the pale ground colour being wider and 

 more mottled. They are also decidedly larger, the wing being 

 above G inches. Blyth's type specimen of E. spilocephalus, has the 

 head with larger spots, and the plumage generally somewhat darker. 

 The quill feathers appear to be more decidedly emarginate in 

 pennatus, than in zorca. 



The Indian Scops Owl is found occasionally throughout all India 

 and Ceylon, in forests and well-wooded districts, but is not very 

 common. The first specimen 1 ever procured was found dead 

 outside ray house at Madras, and had probably been killed by the 

 crows, as it was in good case, and very little injured. I have 

 obtained it both from the Eastern and AVestern ghats, but not from 

 Central India. It is also found in the Himalayas, and extends into 

 Burmah, Malayana, "and China. It has a low mild hoot, which is 

 often heard soon after dark. All I have examined had eaten 

 insects. It breeds, according to Hutton, in hollow trees, laying 

 three pure white eggs on the rotten wood, in March. 



The Sub-gen, Megascops, Kaup, has the first four quills distinctly 

 emarginate, 1st quill equal to the 7th or so. They are larger 

 birds than the last, and are chiefly from America. 



75. Ephialtes lempigi, Horsf. 



Strix, apud Horsfield — HoRsr., Cat. 83 — Bltth, Cat. 148 — 

 Scops javanicus. Lesson, and Jerdon, Cat. 43 — S. malabaricus, 

 Jerdon, 2nd Suppl. Cat. 43— S. noctula, Tem. PI. Col. 99— Scops 

 lettia, Hodgson, As. R. XIX. 176 — S. griseus, Jerdon, 2nd 

 Suppl. Cat. 43 ter. — S. lettioides, Jerdon, apud Blyth, J. A. S. 

 XIV. 182 — Thar kavi choff had, H. — Lattyahusyal, in Nepal— Pe-^c/a 

 chittaguba, Tel. — Kashyo takpum, Lepch. — Tingkom chukim, Bhot. 



