1839] of the Peninsula of India. 85 



Genus ASTER . — Gosh a wJc. 



36. — A. palumbarius. — Goshawk.— Baz (female), J oorah (male), H. 



I obtained a specimen, of what I consider as the young male of this 

 bird, s°afe I on a bough on oneof the thick woods of the Neilgherries close 

 to Ootaeamund. I several times afterwards observed a pair of apparent- 

 ly the same bird hunting together near Coonoor, where they had com- 

 mitted several depredations on some pigeons, and I one clay saw them 

 make an unsuccessful swoop at a flock of pigeons close to the house. 

 Their flight was swift, similar to that of sparrow-hawks, but at a consider- 

 able height, whence they made a sudden pounce. I add a description 

 of my specimen: — Above of a dark brown; the eyebrows white, and the 

 feathers of ihe head, hind neck, and upper part of back narrowly edged 

 with whitish, and with white base; tail of a lighter tint, barred with 4 

 dark bands on centre feathers, and 5 on the rest; beneath, white ; on the 

 sides of the breast a cluster of large oval brown spots, and a few others 

 sparingly distributed over the abdomen; the thigh coverts are trans- 

 versely banded with brown; cere and feet lemon yellow; hides bright 

 yellow; length 16^ inches; wing 8£ to the end of 4th quill ; tail beyond 

 4j, from base 7 ; tarsus 2 T 1 ^- ; feathered in front more than half its length j 

 middle toe 2 inches; anterior and posterior scales large, transverse ; ex- 

 ternal lateral, small irregular. I see by Mr. Elliot's notes that he con- 

 siders the celebrated Baz of India to be identical with the European 

 goskawk. 



Family STRIGID,E.— Owls, 



Sub Family STRIGIN^.— Typical owls. 



Genus STRIX, Auet. 



7. — S. Javanica. Horsf. — S- flamrnea y var. ? — Kareya, or Kurail H. — 

 vulgo, Booree Ghooree. — White Owl. 



This has been separated from the European species on account of 

 ome slight though permanent deviations of colour, which many do not 

 onsider as sufficient to warrant, a specific distinction. As, however, 

 olonel Sykes has followed Horsfield, I shall also do so. The white 

 owl frequents wooded places, topes, bushy nullahs, and trees, near tanks 



