The following account of the Indian Fish Owl (Ketupa[213] ceylonensis) is taken from the work by Captain Vincent Legge, R.A., on the birds of Ceylon:—“This large Owl loves the vicinity of water, haunting the banks of rivers, tanks, inland salt lagoons, the borders of sea-bogs, and woods surrounding rice-fields. All who have visited the tanks in the north and east of Ceylon must be familiar with the fine bird, which so often is surprised napping in the lofty trees growing on the embankments, or so-called ‘bunds.’ Its powers of vision in the day are not quick, but they are tolerably clear. On hearing the footsteps of man, it raises its large ear-tufts, and bending down its head, stares steadily down from its lofty perch among the green boughs, and as soon as it becomes aware of the nature of the intruder on its retreat, launches itself out of the tree, and is not easily approached a second time. It is much more common in wild forest country, combined with water, than in cultivated districts. It sallies out in the evening with great regularity. As soon as the sun begins to sink behind the surrounding forest, it may be noticed flapping noiselessly round some secluded cheena, or leisurely crossing the lonely tank, resounding at the hour of sunset with the buzzing of innumerable frogs, to the nearest conspicuous tree, and there gives out its sepulchral groan. This gloomy salutation is usually responded to by its mate, who perches close at hand, and answers by a double note, the two lonesome sounds resembling the words gloom—oh, gloom. At night I have often heard these notes repeated by a pair without intermission for many minutes. Layard remarks that, when alarmed during the day, they utter a loud hiss, subsiding into a growl. They appear to have an accustomed place of roosting, for Mr. Houldsworth notices that they ‘perched day after day on the same branch!’ This is very often in an exposed situation, and it frequently falls to their lot to be mobbed by a flock of garrulous Bulbuls, King-Crows, and other Owl-hating small birds. Fish is the favourite food, and, in fact, the usual diet of this species; but when this is not procurable, small mammals, reptiles, and even insects are devoured by them. In the stomach of one, for example, I found a Snake (Haplocercus ceylonensis), and some large Beetles. As a proof of their miscellaneous diet, and also of their voracity, I may mention that a pair of Fish Owls, which were kept by Sir Charles Layard in the same aviary with a Brahmin Kite, fell one night upon their luckless companion, and, after slaughtering him, forthwith proceeded to devour him completely. Further, Mr. Hume records, in ‘Nests and Eggs,’ finding the remains of Quails, Doves, and Mynahs in the nest of a pair on the Jumna. It has also been stated that they feed on the carcases of the Gavial and Crocodile.”
EAGLE OWL.
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LARGER IMAGE
PEL’S FISH-OWL (Scotopelia peli).[214]
The African Fish-Owls are exactly like the Indian as regards their bare legs, but they have no tufts on their heads. Three different kinds are known, and they are all rare birds, frequenting the rivers and inland lakes of the African continent. Pel’s Fish-Owl was discovered on the Gold Coast by Mr. Pel, the Dutch commandant at Elmina, nearly forty years ago. The specimen procured by that gentleman flew across the river Boutry, and settled among some shady boughs on the other bank, when it was knocked down with the blow of a gun. The following account of one of these rare birds, from the Barra country, Senegambia, is given by Mr. John Henry Gurney, who had the specimen alive in his possession for a long time: it was presented to him by Colonel O’Connor, C.B., who is the author of the accompanying “Sketch of Nero, the Owl, a Fetish Bird.” The colonel writes[215]:—“During seven years’ exploration of Western Africa, I only met one of the species of the Owl ‘Nero.’ He was brought ‘a chicken,’ full of pen-feathers, or rather down, of a delicate straw-colour, and very thick, from a lagoon in the Barra country. No native would admit ‘Nero’ as a visitor; and when the bird was installed in Government House, the servants and head people came in a body to remonstrate, asserting ‘he was a Gumbi Owl, a Fetish!! and would destroy and kill whatever object he looked on.’ The chief groom (an old soldier, who had charge of the poultry) insisted that ‘every cock and hen would go dead.’ Strangely enough, an epidemic broke out, and carried off from fifty to sixty head of fowls; and each day the groom placed the defunct birds on the steps of Government House, to meet the eye of Mrs. O’Connor, seeming to exult in the mortality amongst the feathered tribe. ‘You see wid your own eye, Missus, dat debil Jumbi bird, he go kill all de fowls. Governor tink he hab long head, but he no sabey Owl. Suppose you put him in de stable, he see Nelly (Mrs. O’Connor’s favourite mare), de horse he go tumble down dead.’ Death at last ceased to reign amongst the poultry population, and Nero became my principal pet; he ranged over the piazza, perching on the branch of a tree; he was fed regularly by the orderly on roasted fish, but he often came to the dinner-table, and flew down for scraps of meat, bread and butter, which he took gently from myself or from Mrs. O’Connor, permitting us to rub his head, crest, neck, and back, seemingly enjoying the caressing. But he would snatch meat or bones from the Cat or Dog; and when the Eagle was introduced into his company, he beat him in a most unmerciful manner away from his peculiar and original position of the piazza, the Eagle being one of the fiercest and most pugnacious of African birds, brought from the upper part of the Gambia river near ‘Wallie,’ and, when in vigour, able to carry away a kid or small lamb. Nero luxuriated in a tub of water, frequently washing himself, and perching on the rim until dry. He was wont to go out to the garden or fields, where instantly an immense commotion arose among all the birds. The larger ones flew round the Owl, keeping a very civil distance, the smaller birds flew away; but Nero treated both alike with sovereign contempt. He would return of his own accord to the roosting-place in the piazza, and when put out and confined for some days, rejected all food, and pined until restored to his perch. With me he was as tame as any Canary, and, after an absence of two months, recognised my voice when I went to his cage at Oatlands (Devon), appearing much pleased by my taking him out for a walk on the grass. Many natives from the interior told me ‘they had never seen such a bird before; but they considered him unlucky.’ I really think Nero is nearly sans any relations, and certainly devoid of all friends in Western Africa.”
Pel’s Owl measures nearly two feet in length, and has the wing sixteen inches and a half. Its colour is a deep rufous bay, with black transverse bars; below it is light bay, with heart-shaped bars of black; the iris is dark-brown, whereas in the Indian Fishing Owls it is always yellow.
THE EAGLE OWL (Bubo ignavus).[216]
This and its relative, the Virginian Eared Owl of America, are the largest of all the family. It is found all over Europe and Siberia, extending even to China and the Himalayas, but the few instances of its capture in Great Britain have been probably those of birds escaped from confinement, as it is by no means an uncommon species in aviaries in England. As it is not, strictly speaking, a British bird, recourse must be had to the writings of Continental naturalists for an account of its habits, and the following extract is made from Dr. Brehm’s “Bird Life” (p. 567):—“The Eagle Owl is somewhat fantastic in appearance, usually sitting with its feathers so much ruffled as to make it seem much larger than it really is. ‘In that large, shapeless mass of feathers,’ says Naumann, ‘one can scarcely distinguish the limbs; the half-closed eyes hide their glorious rays; suddenly it opens them wide, bends the head and upper part of the body forwards, swaying from side to side, and raising first one foot and then the other, begins to tremble, winks slowly with the eyelids, spits like a cat, and snaps its bill. When angry its eyes flash fire, it bends forward with hanging wings, ruffles its plumage as much as possible, and snapping and hissing, dashes furiously at the enemy.’