BIED8 COLLECTED IN BENGAL. 213 



and kept feeding her on large beetles. The process of eating the 

 beetles was effected in this manner : The female would throw 

 back her head, and, after two or three gulps, the beetle would be 

 swallowed. She would then shake her tail and shut her eyes 

 with evident satisfaction. A pair of these Owls some years ago 

 built their nest in the thatch of the house here. For some 

 reason or other one of them took a violent dislike to my father, 

 and as soon as he showed himself outside the door, down would 

 pounce the Owl, and commence a vigorous attack on his head ; 

 and on one occasion, whilst he was sitting with other people in 

 the garden, the Owl lifted the cap from off his head. From the 

 castings I have examined, their food seems to consist of insects 

 and bats, and on one occasion I found in one nest a half-grown 

 rat. A nest I found in an outhouse contained three young birds 

 and one fresh egg. I took the young away, together with the 

 parent bird, which was caught on the nest. I kept her for a day, 

 and then released her. About a month after three fresh eggs 

 were found in the same nest, but whether they were laid by the 

 same bird is not certain, though I think it very probable they 

 were. 



Ninox scutulata, Eaffi. (Brown Hawk Owl). — Mr. Inglis 

 writes : — " Very rare. A single specimen procured at Jainagar." 



Asio accipitrinus, Pall. (Short-eared Owl). — I have only one 

 specimen in my collection, given me by Mr. Inglis. 



Pandion haliaetus, Linn. (Osprey). — A common cold weather 

 migrant. 



Otogypscalvus, Scop. (Black Vulture). — Very common. Lays 

 one large white egg. Nest situated in high trees. I once found 

 a nest in January. 



Pseudogyps bengalensis, Gmel. (Indian White-backed Vul- 

 ture). — Common. Breeds in November, December, and January. 



Neophron ginginianus, Lath. (Small White Scavenger Vulture). 

 Very common. Breeds in February, March, April, and May. A 

 nest I found in April contained two newly- hatched young. The 

 nest was a large mass of sticks placed at the top of a high pepul 

 tree (Fieus religiosa). 



Aquila hastata, Less. (Small Indian Spotted Eagle). — A young 

 bird of this species was procured by Mr. Inglis at Jainagar in 

 August, 1899. 



