No. 5. — 1849.] NATUKAL HISTORY. 



209 



Genus Athene, Boie. 

 22. — A. Castanotus, Blyth. 

 Syn.~- A. Castanoptera, Blyth (Journal A, S , XV., 280). 

 Peculiar to the Island, and discovered by Dr. Templeton 

 in 1846. It is pretty generally distributed about the interior, 

 and not uncommon. 



Its description is fully given loc. sit., and may be briefly 

 summed up thus : Length, 7 to 8 in. ; head and breast dark 

 brown, barred with dusky buff ; back and wings dark brown, 

 barred like the head with a dark brown; tail similarly barred, 

 but with wider stripes ; vent and stomach whitish, and much 

 mottled with brown; beak much hidden by the vibrissa ; feet 

 small, and clothed with stiff hairs. 



Sub-Family Syrniin,e. 



Genus Syrnium, Savigny. 



23. — S. Indrani {Gray's II. Gen. Birds). 



Syn. — Strix Indrani, Sykes, T. A. ; Ulamd, Sin. 

 Found occasionally in the densest and most lonely jungles. 

 This is the dreaded " Devil bird " of the Sinhalese, and its 

 note is considered as a pure prestige of evil. 



Sub-Family Strigike. 



Genus Strix, L. 

 24. — S. Flammea, L. 

 Syn.— Javanica, Sykes. 



The white or barn owl of Europe is probably identical with 

 the species which we have in this Island. The only place 

 whence I have procured it is the old Fort of Jaffna, where 

 the dilapidated ruins and the vast old banian tree on the 

 bastion overlooking the esplanade afford it a congenial home ; 

 here it may be nightly heard uttering its mournful cry while 

 seated on a gable of the old Dutch church. 



