G-LAUCIDIUM RADIATUM. 
158 
mv bird /, Stray Feathers,’ loc. cit.) to the latter, as it came tolerably close to it in description. It has, however, I 
find no pretensions to a relationship with the southern form, which, besides its more rufous colouring, has a 
smaller wing— three specimens having, respectively, wings measuring 4-8, 4-0, 4-8 inches, and, as a rule, more 
white aboutfhe fore neck. The Ceylonese bird, however, in the less rufescent tint of the upper-surface bars, and 
tete —hat blacker hue of the dark flank-bands, has some slight difference to ^ 
than is generally the case with insular examples of northern forms. The amount of white on the outer 
wing-coverts and the type of barring on the tail are identical in both ; m fact a specimen m my ^ 
by Mr. A. Anderson in North India is, with the exception of the slightly rufescent ba . H 
counterpart of the bird described in this article. 
Distribution This curious Owlet is in reality not an uncommon bird, but it appears not to have been 
the Chestnut-winged Owlet, being, for the most part, confined to the southern half of the sland extend g 1 
he eastern skle perhaps, to the termination of the heavily-wooded country to the south of he V rgel, and 
occurring in the Uva district of the Central Province. There is, however, no reason to infer that it may n 
forests, but I have never heard it in them. I first met with it in 1873, while encamped m 
the recesses of the extensive timber-forests in the hills on the south bank of the Gmdurah. In the same year 
my acquaintance with its extraordinary call was renewed in several parts of the low country between Hapu a 
and Ilambantota, but no example was procured. In 1875 I came upon it again in various i^tres between 
Batticaloa and the base of the Hewa-Elliya range, and also heard its hoot m the jungles on N amooni-kuli mou - 
tain near Badulla. From the number of birds I heard in the east of Ceylon, I infer that its head-quarter 
arc in that part of the island ; and, as a hill-bird, it may (in common with other species, winch range from the 
are p , ■ est 0 f Nuwara Elliya) be confined to the eastern portion of the 
the whole of it ; for I have no debt the. it trill 
Zl dXd wiOt in the Peak jungles, which are -to in character and climate to those of the sonth- 
of this Owl on the main, and, according to 
and the lower ranges of the hills themselves as far west as Mandt • ' thc p ,Ls of the 
district, throughout India. Though it does not appear to be found in Lower Pen al i P 
North-west and Central Provinces, yet Mr. Ball records it as not uncommon “““taN.gp 
procured in parts of the Madras Presidency and at Anjango on the riarancoie e ,s . >1 
inhabitant of the woods at the foot of Mount Alloo, though it does not occur anywhere esemfte 
Guzerat district, nor in the Kandhala region worked by Mr. Fairbank. Dr. Cantoi las piocuiei 
called Keddah iu Malacca. 
Habit, -The Jungle-Owlet frequents lofty timber-forests (the « Mukalana” of the Sinhalese), the dense 
iun-le generally growing in the Eastern Province, luxuriant woods in the Park country, and even low sciu y 
““to near- 1 the L-col. In the latter situation I met with it at TevMamnne, on 
habits are more diurnal than any other Owl I am acquainted with, and its curious call attracts notice whe 
to he found. Tins is, L the most part, uttered by day during dull mornings and afternoon, » 
nnv time when the bird is disturbed in the forest by a sudden sound, such os the report of a gun 01 the ba 
of a dog; at such times its loud spasmodic call impresses the hearer with the suspicion of anger m the 1 
it q' u . d 0 f ill-omen ” at being disturbed in its sylvan retreats ! The effect of diurna g oom on is isposi 
seems very marked, as it hoots at tlie fancied approach of night as soon as the sun is overcast wit t le quic ' y 
nassinc showers so common in the Ceylon jungles. The only example procured by me, after many attunp s o 
k-i tisfvmvsclf as to the authorship of such strange notes, was shot in the banks of the Maha-oya, on e n 
Batticaloa Road, about 10 o’clock on a damp August morning, when drenching showers were fol owmg em i 
t , ,, t intervals of five or ten minutes, causing the little fellow to shout with unusual frequency, anc em - 
, tracl . him through the dripping underwood. He was continually on the move, and when overtalc 
m ° ed onTfrh^ T.plrUa tree beneath . dense elus.ee of its massive leave,. The note commence, w,«h 
