Transvaal and Umzeilla's Country. 49 



Eagle coming at lightning speedy which clashed viciously at 

 the Owl several times, but did not succeed in knocking it off 

 its perch, and in fact the Owl did not seem much concerned : 

 the Eagle then settled on a tree close by, and from the way 

 in which it stretched its neck and looked about, I thought it 

 seemed surprised and disappointed. It was an active-looking 

 little Eagle, with along neck, small head, and feathered down 

 to the toes ; all its upper parts were dark slate-colour, the 

 lower parts white with a few dark blotches ; it was very like 

 Nisaetus spilog aster in appearance and build, but smaller^. 



After observing the Eagle for a few seconds I turned my 

 attention to the Owl, which I shot with a bullet, having been 

 at the time in search of large game. 



I met with a pair of these Owls at Buffels, and fired at one 

 with No. 7 shot at very close range, but failed to bring it 

 down. I had also a close shot at one at Rovi-rand, but it 

 got away ; they are certainly very tough. I think they vary 

 a good deal in size. They seem to have a wide range, as I 

 have found them in the Free State, in the Rustenberg dis- 

 trict, and along the Limpopo ; when once disturbed by day 

 they are very shy and difficult to approach. 



[I now agree with Mr. Sharpe that Huhua verreauxi of 

 South Africa is not specifically distinct from the more 

 northern H. lactea, as I have already explained in the 

 P. Z. S. 1884, p. 560.— J. H. G.] 



Glaucidium perlatum (VieilL). African Pearl-spotted 

 Owlet. 



Female, Lehtaba river-drift, August 1885. 



This little Owl, when I shot it, had just killed a large 

 striped field-mouse; this was about eight o'clock in the 

 morning, and the sun was well up. 



These Owls are often to be seen by day flying from tree 

 to tree, and appear to be very wide awake ; they also call a 

 good deal in the daytime. I have found them plentiful 

 along the Limpopo river, and also in the Eustenberg district 



* [I think there can be little doubt that this Eagle was a small male 

 of Nisaetus spilogaster. — J. H. G.] 



SER. V. — VOL. V. E 



