166 STEIX FLAMMEA. 



it is represented by S. rosenbergi from Celebes, and by S. delicatula from Australia and a portion of Oceania, 

 but not from Tasmania or New Zealand — the latter locality being without any member of the genus, while 

 Tasmania is inhabited by the large race (S. casta?iops) of the Australian species S. novce-hollandia. 



Habits. — As in the old country, the Screech-Owl, or, as it is better known, the " Barn-Owl," frequents, in 

 Ceylon and India, ruined edifices, forts, wells, and buildings of every description, preferring these architectural 

 retreats to those afforded by old and hollow trees. It, however, sometimes takes up its abode in the latter. 

 In Jaffna Mr. W. Murray, who resided there for many years, and had abundant opportunity of noticing its 

 habits, writes me that it "lives in the small square drains leading from the silt-traps on the bastions to the 



moat." "At dusk," he remarks, they sit at the openings overlooking the moat, and screech to one 



another for a good half-hour before starting on their foraging expeditions ; many feed about the fort, but some 

 fly across the Jaffna lake to the islands in search of food." Mr. Holdsworth found them frequenting a store- 

 house in his compound, " each regularly perching in a dark corner under the roof, at opposite ends of the long 

 building, and apparently living in harmony with hundreds of Bats which hung from the roof and walls around." 

 In India, Jerdon found them frequenting cells and powder-magazines in the vicinity of cantonments, and it 

 therefore appears that in the East, as well as in Europe, it loves to haunt the habitations of man. In such 

 localities it has opportunity of doing good in the capture of rats and other noxious vermin, enormous quantities 

 of which it must destroy in a single year. Most people who take any interest at all in the natural history of 

 birds now absolve the inoffensive and useful Barn-Owl frorn the sins which used to be laid at its door, and 

 instead of accusing it of destroying birds, game, &c, are aware that it is a vermin-killer, and does far more 

 good than harm. The old story is well known of the farmer, who, missing his pigeons one by one, laid in wait 

 for the fancied robber, the Barn-Owl, and,. having shot the unfortunate bird issuing from the dove-cot, was 

 surprised to find a huge rat, the real depredator, in the bird's talons. Dr. Jerdon affirms, in his ' Birds of 

 India/ that he has known it more than once fly into the room in which he was sitting with opjen doors and 

 windows after a rat which had entered. 



The note of the Screech-Owl, as its name implies, is a loud cry or scream, which it sometimes utters on 

 the wing, in addition to which it is said by Indian observers to utter doleful waitings and sounds, such as are 

 generally believed to be solely the voice of the Wood-Owl (Syrnium). Mr. J. H. Rainey, a writer in 'Stray 

 Feathers' (vol. iii. p. 333), relates that he has often been awakened "by cries which closely resembled two 

 infants in distress," and on following the bird has shot what he identified as the Indian Screech-Owl. These 

 occurrences took place at the end of the cool season, before the birds began to breed, and were, doubtless, says 

 Mr. Rainey, their amorous calls or love-notes. It is the habit of this Owl to issue out from its roosting-place 

 at dark ; but I have more than once seen English members of the species abroad before sunset even. In 

 confinement they sleep throughout the whole day, which cannot be said of some Owls (see my remarks on the 

 Ceylon Wood-Owl) • and I have seen a caged bird outside a shop window, in one of the most crowded 

 thoroughfares in London, fast asleep, totally unconscious of the din and roar going on around him. 

 Mr. Holdsworth, who observed the habits of a pair that frequented a storehouse in his compound at Aripu, 

 never observed them abroad until some time after sunset. 



The habits of this Owl in confinement are very interesting. They are voracious in their appetites, and 

 very fond of bathing. Mr. Blewitt, as quoted in ' Nests and Eggs/ p. 59, remarks of some he reared, that 

 they would invariably disgorge the flesh of Hawks and Owls that had been given them to eat. 



Nidification. — In Jaffna, I understand, this Owl breeds in June and July, nesting in the drains in 

 the escarpments of the Fort ditch, without fear at that time of their nests being washed away. Iu 

 India they breed from February to June ; and Mr. Hume observes that holes in wells are the favourite 

 localities ; the nests are, however, often found in hollow trees, where there are no suitable buildings to be 

 chosen. The eggs are usually laid on the bare surface of the cavity*, but sometimes a small stick-nest is 

 made, which, says Mr. Hume, resembles that of a Pigeon. The number of eggs is variously stated as from 

 three to seven, the latter being no doubt unusual. They are generally pure white, but sometimes have a 



Iu England I have found the eggs on the bare stone at the top of a barn wall. 



