114 BUBONIDJ. 



in shape ; but each nest of eggs retained its own characteristics : 

 thus in one the eggs were all more spherical, in the other more 

 oval." 



Mr. E. Thompson, writing from Gurhwal, says that this species 

 " breeds in May and June, in holes in large trees. It is quite as 

 cominon as &. radiatum in these forests, but has not the active 

 sanguinary habits of the other. Many breed in the oak and fir 

 woods above Khoorpatal. I had the young brought me once in 

 June some three years ago." 



I'rom Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes ; — " On the 9th May I took 

 three fresh eggs out of the hole of a dead tree, some twenty feet 

 up, at the elevation of 2000 feet above the sea. It stood in the 

 middle of a thick patch of living trees. The only nesting-material 

 was a few of the soft rotten chips which may have been accidentally 

 left inside." 



Major C. T. Bingham, writing from Tenasserim, remarks : — • 

 " The first nest I found of this species vias at Meeawuddy on the 

 ]2th April ; it was placed in the hollow of a small pynkado tree 

 {Xylia dolabriformis), and contained three fresh eggs lying on a few 

 chips of decayed wood, leaves, and feathers. I did not clearly see 

 the bird as it left the nest nor was I able to secure it. 



" Subsequently, on the 23rd of the same month, a Karen led me 

 to a nest-hole of this bird, placed in the hollow of the stump of a 

 teak that had been felled years ago ; this was on the Meplay choung. 

 In this case I secured the female alive and two fresh eggs out of 

 four, two breaking in the scufile ^^■ith the hen ; lining of the nest- 

 hole similar to the first. 



" Again, on the 2nd May at Pynekyoon on the HUnebooey, I 

 found two eggs and two young ones in the hollow of a dead cocoa- 

 nut tree. ]\'o semblance of lining or nest was there, but balls of 

 the bird's dejecta lay with the eggs and young ones. One egg was 

 quite fresh, the other slightly sat upon. 



" The six eggs from the three nests measure respectively : — 

 1-38 X 1-19, 1-30 X 1-18, 1-33 X 1-17, 1-30 X 1-15, 1-33 X 1-16, and 

 1-30 X 1-18." . 



The eggs which, as might be expected, are pure white and glossy, 

 are rather large for the size of the bird. In shape they vary from 

 almost perfect spheres to broad ovals. 



The eggs that I have measured varied from 1*38 to 1*48 inch iji 

 length, and from 1-17 to 1-24 in breadth ; the average of twelve 

 eggs being 1-41 by 1'19 inch. 



Symium sinense (Lath.). The Malayan Wood-Owl. 

 Syrnium seloputo (Horsf.), Hume, Cat. no. 65 bis. 



Mr. Gates w rites of this species from Pegu : — " I have not been 

 fortunate enough to get the eggs of this species, but I have twice 

 found the young birds. The eggs appear to be laid on the bare 

 wood in the fork of a large peepul-tree at no great distance from 



