THE FISHING OWIi 
Ketupa ketupu ketttpu {Horsf.) 
Malay name : — Burong liantu. 
Descripiioii: — This is a large pale brown or yellowish- 
brown bird^ in bulk equal to a domestic cock or a pheasant. 
The upper parts are heavily streaked with black, the lower 
^arts also with long" thin black streaks. The wing quills and 
tail are conspicuously barred with light and dark. The legs 
are naked, i.e. unfeathered, and the bng:ht yellow eyes large 
and striking m appearance. The sexes are very much alike. 
This species cannot be confused with any other local species 
of owL 
Length about i8 inches, wing laj to about 13J inches. 
Distribution : — This fine owl is found in Burma and the 
ranjje then continues down the Malay Peninsula to Java, 
Sumatra and Borneo. In the Malay Peninsula it is a common 
bird. 
Stattts in Singapore : — ^Quite common in the vicinity of 
Singapore, but a bird of the country-side and coasts rather 
than of the town areas, but not rarely at dusk one may see their 
large forms flitting almost silently across the town gardens. 
We have seen several roosting during the day in quieter parts 
of the island; they make rather conspicuous objects sitting 
quite upright on a bough dose to its junction with the trurJlc 
of the tree. 
Field Notes : —The very large owls seen in Singapore are 
nearly always of this species. We have known one to follow 
a car along a quiet road for a mile or two. 
Other habits :—^id\^y notes that he has seen this bird 
carry off a fruit-bat : the stomach of a specimen dissected by 
Kelham contained a piece of stick, the jaw-bone of a rat, 
portions of beetles and dragonflies, some vegetable matter* 
and lastly a great red centipede measuring 7 inches in length. 
In Sumatra it is stated to cause much loss to the owners of fish 
ponds and in that country, according to Mr, E. Jacobson, it 
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