1839} of the Pe?iinsula of India. 91 



Sub Family . — Hawk Owls. 



Genus NOCTUA, Sav.— Hodgson.— Althene of recent authors.— Nycti- 



petes, Sw. 



I shall here retain for the present the generic name ofNictua, though 

 it has been properly objected to that it had been previously applied to a 

 genus of moths. 



46. — ZV. cuculoides, Vig. — Gould Cent. pi. 4. — Jungle* choghud, H. — 

 Jungle Hawk Owl. 



This very handsomely plumaged little owl is said in Goulds's Cen- 

 tury to be " supposed to be confined to the Himalayas." I hav^ found 

 it wherever there is lofty jungle. In Goomsoor, on the eastern side; and 

 on the west, in Travancore and Malabar, where it is by no means rare. 



It frequents loftv trees and flies about actively in the day time, at least 

 when disturbed ; I have generally found it single, rarely in small flocks. 

 It feeds on various large insects, chiefly coleopterous. 



t Irides golden yellow; bill and legs greenish horn colour. Length 9 

 inches ; wing 5; tail 3 ; tarsus T 6 - ihs ; mid toe 1 j. 



47.— N. Jyidica, Prankl.— S. brama, Tern. P. C. 68—C?og7>ud, H.— 

 Peenglah, Mali. — Little shotted Owl— Divining Owl. 



This little owl is extremely abundant in Southern India (more so, par- 

 ticularly in the Carnatic, I think, than in the Deccan), and is often very 

 annoying from its familiar and noisy habits. It generally roosts during the 

 day in large trees, but frequently also in the caves of houses or under the 

 roof, and though it is most active and noisy during the night time, feed- 

 ing then, yet it is often very noisy during the d.iy, uttering its harsh 

 squabble, three or four joining in chorus at the same lime. Its usual cry 

 is something like ' juk ljuhl jukV , repeated very quickly. 



About sunset it usually sallies forth from its roosting place to feed; its 

 chief food is beetles and other insects, but it occasionally captures mice. 

 It takes insects sometimes on the wing, or snaps one off the ground or 

 the trunk of a tree, during its low undulating flight, which is general- 

 ly short, but at times prolonged to some distance over the plain. 



In some parts of the country it is supposed to have the power of divi- 

 nation. 



(To be continued.") 



