1848.] Notes on the Nidification of Indian Birds. 5 



in the genus " Noctua" if the characters of the wing rendered it im- 

 proper so to place it. Had such however been the case, the necessity 

 for coining a new specific name is not apparent. This handsome little 

 species appears to agree neither with Scops nor Athene, — for while the 

 wing belongs to the latter genus, — the plumage, aigrettes and nude 

 feet refer it to the former. It would now seem however that neither 

 Scops nor Ephialtes can stand for a genus of Owls, — the first being 

 otherwise employed in Ornithology, — while the latter is a genus in 

 Entomology instituted by Gravenhorst. (Vide Nat. Lib. Introd. 

 Entom.) It is therefore necessary to form a genus for these Owls. 

 No. 3. — "Athene Brodiei" (Burton). 



This pretty little species is exceedingly common in the Himalayas in 

 the neighbourhood of Mussooree and Simla, and may be heard at 

 nightfall uttering its monotonous but not unmusical whistle of two 

 notes oft times repeated. Like the last, it nidificates in hollow trees 

 without any preparation of a nest. On the 11th May, I found 3 

 young ones and an egg just ready to hatch in a hole of a wild Cherry 

 tree. The egg was nearly round and pure white, but being broken I 

 could take no measurement of it. The young ones were clothed in a 

 soft and pure white down. 



In both these instances, namely, M A. nudipes" and " A. Brodiei" 

 the old females remained in the holes while we cut into the trees, and 

 allowed themselves to be captured. 



No. 4. — " Caprimulgus albonotatus" Tickell. 



C. nipalensisy Hodgson, (Gray's Zool. Misc.) 



Of this species, which is a summer visitor at Mussooree, Captain 

 Tickell says, the eggs are — " fleshy clay colour, sprinkled with 

 patches of darker brownish red ; female, paler and redder." I took 2 

 eggs of this bird at an elevation of 5000 feet, on the 19th April, from 

 the bare ground beneath bushes on the side of a hill, the colour being 

 a rich cream white with darker blotches of reddish brown or clay 

 colour. Of one the diameter was 1 \ % -J inches ; the other was some- 

 what smaller. 



No. 5. — " Garrulus lanceolatus" Vigors. 



G. gularis et G, Vigorsii. (Gray's 111. Ind. Zool.) 



This is one of the commonest birds in the Hills, usually appearing, 

 except in the breeding season, in small parties of 5 or 6, most probably 



