SURNIIN^. 147 



This genus by its small head, absence of the disk, firm plumage, 

 and long tail, is one of those owls that makes the nearest approach 

 in appearace to the diurnal Raptores. 



81. Ninox scutellatus, Raffl. 



Strix, apud Raffles — Blyth, Cat. 155 — Athene, apud 

 HoRSF., Cat. 80— S. hirsuta, Temm. PI. col. 289— S. lugubris, 

 TiCKELL — Jeedon, Cat. 40 — N. Nipalensis, Hodgson, J. A. S, 

 — Ath. Malay ensis, Eyton — Choghad desra, H. Kulpechak, or 

 pencha, Beng. i. e. death owl — Paini gante vestam, Tel. — Tangki 

 perchiok, Lepch. 



The Beown Hawk Owl. 



Descr. — Above uniform glossy brown, with a greyish tint on 

 the head ; forehead and lores tinged with white ; ear coverts dusky ; 

 some of the scapulars and tertiaries with white bars ; some of the 

 feathers at base of bill black ; primaries rufescent brown with 

 dark bands ; and tail pale ashy brown, with four broad dark cross 

 bands, the end light greyish, tipped white ; beneath, with 

 the throat reddish brown, the rest of the plumage white, 

 with broad oval spots and bars of rusty brown ; tarsal feathers 

 brownish. 



Bill with the cere green, tip dusky ; irides bright golden yel- 

 low ; feet greyish or reddish yellow. 



Length 12 inches ; extent 26 ; wing 8^ ; tail 5 ; tarsus Ig ; mid- 

 toe 11. 



This hawk Owl is found throughout the wooded parts of all India. 

 I have seen it in the Carnatic, Malabar Coast, and Central India. It 

 is rare in the bare Deccan and the North Western Provinces, toler- 

 ably common in Lower Bengal, and the Himalayas, and extends 

 through Assam, Burmah and Malayana to China and Japan. Bo- 

 naparte gives the Bornean and Japanese races as distinct, respect- 

 ively Borneensis, and Japonica, Schlegel. It is said to be found 

 also in Madagascar. It frequents the skirts of the thick forests, and 

 also dense groveg of trees, and gardens, in thickly wooded countries. 

 It is nocturnal in its habits, but I have seen it issue forth before 

 dark, and seat itself on the top of a small tree, whence it would make 



