98 



BUEONID^. 



upper tail-coverts, scapulars, wing-coverts, except the greater ones of 

 the primaries, a mixture of pale brownish grey and pale buSy, with 

 dark brown central streaks, and numerous transverse wavy brown 

 pencillings and mottlings. In the outside line of the scapulars the buff 

 is very pure, and in some positions conspicuous, and while the rump, 

 itpper tail and lesser wing-coverts are dingier and greyer, the centre 

 of the upper back and the median and secondary wing-coverts show 

 more of a pale buff; the primary greater coverts are very dark brown 

 with broad transverse '•bufFy mottled bars; the quills are darkish 

 brown, with numerous broad transverse greyish more or less dingy 

 white bars, much more conspicuous on the outer webs ; with the 

 exception of a few bars on the upper portion of the outer web of the 

 earlier primaries, which, are nnmottled and slightly tinged with creamy, 

 all the rest of these bars are closely mottled and pencilled with brown ; 

 the second, third and fourth primaries are just perceptibly emarginate 

 on the outer webs, and the first to the fourth are conspicuously notched 

 on the inner webs ; the sides of the neck behind the dark line, the 

 breast, sides, abdomen, thigh-coverts, a sort of creamy grey, very soft 

 and silky, the feathers with narrow rich brown central streaks and 

 numerous minute irregular, wavy, transverse pencillings; greater portion 

 of wing lining, vent feathers and lower tail-coverts, silky greyish white, 

 the latter, some of them, with dark central streaks towards the tips ; 

 tarsal feathers silky greyish white, with a faint buffy tinge towards 

 the joint, and with several narrow, somewhat irregular transverse 

 brown bars ; tail feathers greyish brown with imperfect transverse 

 mottled bars of very pale dingy buff, and with the interspaces, too, 

 more or less mottled with the same colour. Toes and claws pale greyish 

 brown. Soles creamy white ; pads and papillae much developed and 

 soft ; irides brownish yellow or dark brown ; bill dark brown ; cere 

 dusky grey. 



Length.— I'SB to 9 inches, wing 6-6 to 6-75, tail 2-5 to 3*37, 

 tarsus ]'06 to 1"19. 



The above is Mr. Hume's description of Scops indicus, Gm., 

 which, he says (on page 506, vol. vii. Str. F.) is identical with 8cops 

 griseus {malabarims of Sharpe, Cat. Striges, B. M.) and Scops bakka- 

 moena of Forder. Sharpe, however, does not in his references to the 

 literature of this species allude to the names given by Gmelin and 

 Forster. 



Hal. — Sind, Punjab, Oudh, Madras, Malabar Coast, Travancore, 

 Ceylon, Eastern and Western Ghauts, and North Guzerat. Like the 

 preceding species, it is uncommon in Sind and affects wooded districts 

 only. 



Gen. Carine. — Kaicp. 



Cere swollen; 1st primary much lengthened; 5th escolloped on the 

 outer web like the fourth ; hind tarsus plumed ; nostril pierced near 

 the anterior margin of the cere; bill short, curved from the base, 

 hooked ; lower mandible notched. 



