168 
BIRDS OF BRITISH BURMAH. 
swarming. They breed in December and January,, and I bave found their 
eggs both in holes of trees and in holes in the ground. They probably 
nest also in old wells and dilapidated pagodas. The eggs are usually five 
in number. 
547. STRIX CANDIDA. 
THE GRASS-OWL. 
Strix Candida, Tick. J. A. 8. B. ii. p. 572; Jerd. B. hid. i. p. 118; ShmyCj Cat. 
Birds B. Mus. ii. p. 308 ; Bl. B. Burm. p. 68 ; David et Oust. Ois. Chine, p. 46 ; 
mime ^ Dav. S. F. vi. p. 27 ; Hu7ne, S. F. viii. p. 83 ; Oates, 8. F. x. p. 181. 
Scelostrix Candida, Hume, Rough Notes, ii. p. 345 ; Anders. 8. F. iii. p. 388. 
Glaux Candida, FLume, Nest and Fggs, p. 60. 
Description. — Male and female. The whole upper plumage^ with median 
and greater wing-coverts^ dark glossy brown ; the feathers yellow at the 
base, this colour being more or less mixed with the brown, according to the 
disarrangement of the plumage ; each feather with a small spot of white 
near the tip ; lesser wing-coverts pale orange-buff spotted with brown ; tail 
buffy wliite ; the central tail-feathers completely barred across with dark 
brown, the others successively less barred, the outermost feathers being 
nearly pure white ; quills in general orange-buflF, barred with brown, and 
the tips also brown ; the whole of the face and sides of the neck white ; a 
patch of black in front of the eye ; whole lower plumage pure white ; the 
abdomen, under wing-coverts, sides of the breast and body spotted with 
brown. 
Irides very dark brown ; bill horny; legs livid. {Jerdon.) 
Length 14 inches, tail 5'2, wing 13, tarsus 3*2. 
The Grass-Owl was procured at Tonghoo by the late Colonel Lloyd. It 
has not yet been known to occur elsewhere in the Province. 
It is found in the hill-tracts of Eastern Bengal and in a great portion of 
the Indian peninsula, and it ranges into China and Cochin China. 
This species inhabits places covered with thick grass, and it is said to lay 
its eggs on the ground in November or December. 
