86 



Catalogue of the Birds 



[July 



and rivers. Though generally spread, it is not very common. It utters 

 a harsh shrill cry at night; Mr. Elliot in his notes says, "The natives 

 assert that in doing so, drops of blood are forced from its bill, and should 

 any of these fall on the backs of cattle, they become weak in the loins." 



The chief food of this owl is rats and mice. Whilst at Madura lately, 

 one flew into my room at an open window after a rat that was running 

 about, and I secured it alive: length of one specimen from tip of bill IJTj 

 (from top of disk 14) wings 12; tail 5; tarsus 2| ■ middle toe 2£; ex- 

 pansion of wings 3 feet. 



33. — S. Longimembris. — New species? — 5, Javanica, var. ? 



On the Neilgherries, near Coonoor, in a bushy valley, I obtained a spe- 

 cimen of an owl very similar to the last, but differing in some structural 

 points, as well as in the shade of plumage. If it should be considered 

 a distinct species, it may be named as above, from the comparative length 

 of both wings and legs. 



Description. — The ground tint of the plumage is similar to that of 

 S. Javanica, but lighter or more yellow. The grey tint on the upper 

 plumage of the latter is replaced by a deep brown colour, and the white 

 spots are less numerous. Below, the white is much tinted with oche- 

 rous, and the brownish red spot on the disk of the common species is 

 here of a very deep brown. The most important differences, however, 

 are structural, as will be seen by comparing the measurements with those 

 of the last. 



Total length about 17^ ; of wing 14^ ; tail 5| ; tarsus 3^- ; middle toe 

 2|. The wings reach two inches and more beyond the tail, whilst in 

 Javanica they only reach half an inch or so. A similar species to this 

 is indicated in Griffith's Cuvier as follows—" Tuidara, owl— S. perlata, 

 Licht. — S. Tuidara, n. &c» Like <S. flammea, but the legs are longer — 

 Brazil." 



Genus OTUS, Auct. 



39.— O. brac^yotos, Cuv. — Short eared O.d.—Chota GhoogJtoo, H. 



I have hitherto only obtained this species on the table-land, though 

 I am informed it is also found in the Carnatic and Northern Circars in 

 suitable ground. It is not very common— frequeuts long grass on the 

 open plains, and is occasionally flushed when beating for florikin. Of 



