112 BUBOiriD^. 



Glaucidium castaneonotum (Blyth). 

 The Chestnut-bacJced Owlet. 



Glaucidium castaneonotum {Bl.), Hume, Cat. no. 78 bis. 



Colonel W. V. Legge, Awiting to me from Ceylon on the nesting 

 of this Owl, says : — 



" I have lately had the eggs of an Owl sent me from the Colombo 

 Museum for examination. They were taken from a hole in a 

 cocoanut-tree in the Western Province by the taxidermist, who is 

 well acquainted with our Chestnut-backed Owl. He identified the 

 bird, and therefore I think I may describe the eggs as bond fid,e 

 those of our handsome little Owl. They were taken in July. In 

 shape they are ovals, equally rounded at both ends. They differ 

 much in size, one having an axis of 1'41 and a diameter of 1'15, 

 the other measuring 1-34 by 1*08 only." 



Glaucidium radiatnm (Tick.). The Jungle Owlet. 



Athene radiata ( Tick.), Jerd. B. Iml. i, p. 143 ; Hume, Bonyh Draft 

 N. ^- E. no. 77. 



The Jungle Owlet is confined to the more jungly and forest-clad 

 tracts of both the plains and the lower hills. 



It breeds in the early part of the hot weather, laying in April 

 and May, in holes in trees. Though I have twice found nests 

 containing young ones, I have never myself taken the eggs. 



Mr. E. Thompson, writing from Gurhwal, says : — "This species 

 breeds in May and June in holes in small trees. It is very common 

 in all the warmer valleys. Toung birds are quite fledged in June ; 

 from three to four young ones at a time." 



Mr. J. Cockburn -writes from Allahabad : — " A clutch of three 

 eggs of this Owl were taken by me on the 21st March out of a 

 hole in a horseradish tree in my garden, into which I had frequently 

 seen the bird enter. The eggs are thinner, smaller, and more 

 transparent (with, when fresh, a pinJiy look) than those of C'ariiie 

 brama. The bu'd is common in this, the old side of the Canton- 

 ments ; it has a rather pleasing cry, not unhke the distant call of 

 the Sarus Crane, which it occasionally utters in the daytime." 



Colonel Butler remarks : — " Mr. J. Davidson sent me two eggs 

 taken at Akrani, Khandesh, 17th and 19th April, 1881, respectively." 



Mr, J. Darling, junior, says : — " I found a nest of this bird on 

 the 12th March, 1870, at Coonoor ; it was about 20 feet from the 

 ground, in a hole in the trunk of a tree, in a rather open jungle. 

 The hole was about 6 inches in diameter and 28 deep ; there was 

 no nest, and the eggs, two in number, were laid on some soft 

 wood-scrapings. " 



Mr. IverMacpherson, writing from Mysore, says: — "19th March, 

 1880. In a hole of a decayed and dry tree, some 12 feet from the 



