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Show 402 MR. A. D. BARTLETT ON THE BIRTH OF A SEAL. [Julie 1 1, 77. ATHENE RADIATA, Tickell. The Jungle Owlet. This species is as common as the preceding in the Maunbhoom district, where it breeds (cf. P. Z. S. 1861, p. 375), but is found further from the abodes of man. It is the bird whose peculiar call may be heard at all hours of the night, and often in the day. Ihis call, when once heard, is not easily forgotten. It is heard on all sides, morning and evening. It may be syllabized thus, Kroo-kroo-kroo- krookook krookuk, krookuk krookuk. It is very loud at first, each succeeding note being in a lower key than the one before ; hence the native name " Kroopecha." It lays two or three white eggs in the hollow of a tree, like the preceding, but slightly larger and more rounded. 79. ATHENE CUCULOIDES, Vigors. The Large-barred Owlet. The " Himalayan Owlet" would perhaps be a better name for this species, of which I was lucky enough to procure one specimen at Simla in June 1866. Irides bright yellow, bill greenish horny, legs dirty yellow, claws horny ; tarsus l|, wing 5\'\\\. ; bill at front, including cere, f; cere large and swollen, of a dirty green colour. Also procured by me at Darjeeling in 1862. 80. GLAUCIDIUM BRODIAEI. The Collard Pigmy Owlet. Found at Simla, as I have seen a specimen in Col. Tytler's Collection, which was shot by him there. 81. NINOX SCUTELLATUS, Raffl. The Brown Hawk-Owl. I have seen this species repeatedly in the Maunbhoom district, but never could secure a specimen. Found one at Pathurkutta, in February 1865, in dense tree-jungle, being persecuted by Carrion- Crows (Corvus culminatus), but could not get a shot at it. Found the nest of, probably, the same bird on the 6th March, 1865, near the same place, in the fork of a moderate-sized tree, but without eggs. I feel confident that I have frequently observed this species of Owl when beating in the Sal forest of the terai near Julpigoorie, in 1859, for large game. 5. Notes upon the birth of a Ringed Seal in the Society's Gardens. By A. D. B A R T L E T T , Superintendent of the Society's Gardens. On the 23rd of last month the Society obtained from a dealer in Liverpool four fine adult Seals (Phoca fcetida), said to have been taken in Heligoland. I noticed that one of them was of large size, and suspected that it was a female in young. I therefore had her placed by herself in an enclosure with a small shallow pond of water. Here she soon became perfectly tame, and fed freely from the hand of the keeper. We continued to notice the increase of bulk, and the movements of the young one were quite apparent. |
