OWL. -303 



67.— 03IIN0US OWL— Pl. XVI. 



LENGTH 9Jin. Bill black ; upper ridge and cere greenish ; 

 space round the eyes whitish and bristly ; irides yellow ; head, and 

 upper parts of the body dark brown, with some whitish spots on the 

 scapulars; shoulders and wing coverts pale, or whitish on the edges; 

 neck and breast pale brown, inclining to white towards the vent, and 

 marked with curved spots of rusty brown ; under wing coverts dirty 

 white, with large spots of brown ; quills dark brown, barred with 

 white, the exterior plain brown, and serrated on the outer edge; tail 

 somewhat longer than the cjuills, when closed, dusky brown, crossed 

 with four or five bars of black, the end white ; legs feathered to 

 the toes, which are covered with tubercles and bristles ; claws black. 



The female measures in length less by one inch, and is more 

 slender, but scarcely dilFers in colour ; the irides are pearl-colour. 



Inhabits India ; is the Col Pecha of the Bengalese, and is 

 considered as an unfortunate bird ; if it cries about a house in the 

 night, the inhabitants go ont with lights to drive it away ; the cry 

 resembles tliat of the hare, when caught by the hounds ; the name 

 signifies Black Owl ; when irritated, it raises up the feathers, and 

 appears very large — Dr. Buchanan. 



One similar, in Gen. Hardwieke's drawings, weighing six 

 ounces, seen at Futteghur in October ; but this has many patches of 

 brown on all the under parts ; irides and feet yellow ; is probably 

 the ChaundVessua of Sir J. Anstruther's drawings; who observes, 

 that it has no hairs on the face. 



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