THE LITTLE COLLARED OWL 
Otus bakkamcem lempiji (Horsf.) 
Malay jjamr : — Burong hantu. 
Description: — ^This small owl exhibits considerable indivi- 
dual variation in the gt-neraL colour tone of its plumag'e, some 
exam]}les being rather greyer than typical individuals and 
others much more rufous- Most usually it is dark brown 
above mottled with pale buff and below pale or yellowish-brown 
plentifully marked with dark brown spots of irregular shape 
and finely speckled with a darker colour. The wing quills and 
tail are banded light and dark. The iris is usually hght brown, 
the bill horn colour washed w^ith green and the feet greyish. 
Length from S to 8^ inches, wing si to 6 inches. 
Distribution : — The collared owl as we know it in Singa- 
pore is found in the Malay Peninsula, where it is a common 
bird, and in Sumatra and Java; but other races of the same 
species, so nearly allied that they are only to he distinguished 
by the expert, occur from India to Japan. 
Status in Singapore: — This is one of the two coraraon 
small owls of the island and it would also appear to be more 
numerous than the brown hawk-owl next to be mentioned. 
It breeds in Singapore and is found in most localities from the 
town gardens to the wooded tops of the hills. 
fieid Notes: — Owls are quite unmistakable when seen 
on the whig. They are fat birds with very rounded wings and 
their short neck and large head gives them the appearance 
when flying of having little or no head at all ! 
The present species is occasionally seen during the day. 
Investigation will sometimes reveal one asleep in the most 
unexpected places. Once, attracted by the excited behaviour 
of a few sparrows we found one fast asleep in a tall bush just 
outside the main door of the Raffles Library in spite of the fact 
that cars had been passing within a few feet of it for several 
hours. At other times when walking through woods on the 
