Birds of Gamhia. 311 



but with a lighter grey plumage, is fairly common here. I have 

 seen two alive in ca,ptivity at different times, and frequently when 

 out late in the evening in the bush see one or more on the wing. 

 According to the natives they feed chiefly on Bushfowl. Their note 

 is a raucous hoot. 



Scotopelia peli. PEL'S FISHING OWL. 



Rang&. West Africa, Senegambia to Gaboon. East Africa (H.L) 



S. oustaleti. 



Bange. Senegambia. (H.L.) 



I l,now neither of these birds here. Pel's Fishing Owl, of 

 which there is generally an example in the Zoo, is a large and 

 very handsome bird, with rufous upper parts and buff, fawn and 

 white undersurface. 



Sirix flammea. BARN OWL. 



Range. Cosmopolitan. 



The Barn Owl is rather a rare bird here, but I once had 

 one which was caught on the North Bank in a disused well, down 

 which a pair had been living for some time. There was no 

 ot'vioui difference 'between this bij'd and the ordinary English specimen. 



iGenerial native names for all the Owls are Kikio and Kiki- 

 ango (Mandingo), and Horgetch (JolofT). 



FALCONIDAE. 



Eagles and Hawks form a numerous and noticeable feature 

 of the Gambian avifauna. Many species are extremely common 

 and to be seen daily, but others are much rarer; of the identity of 

 many of them I am unfortunately as yet very doubtful. 



Fandion haliaetus. OSPEEY. 



Bange. Eastern Hemisphere. (H.L.) 



On two occasions I (h ave seen birds which I am nearly sure 

 were Ospreys flying over the creeks near Bathurst. 



Faloo harhanis. BARBARY FALCON. 



Bange. Mediterranean to North-west India; North-east Africa; 

 iSenegamTDia. (H.L.) 



This bird, the African representative of the Peregrine, I 

 have never recognised here. 



F. Goncolor. GREY MERLIN. 



Bange. North-east Africa to Arabia and Madagascar. (H.L ) 



A small sporting-looking hawk, about 12 inches long, all 

 grey with black shaft-stripes to the feathers. I had one alive 

 in 1905. Their Mandingo name is Seling-koio. 



F. tanypterus. 



Bange. North-east Africa to Arabia and Madagascar. (H.L.) 



Another hawk I may \have seen but which I have never 

 been able to identify. It is a good deal larger than the preceding 

 (male 17, female 11) inches in length), and above is dark slate- 

 coloured except on the crown, which is reddish with black shaft- 

 stripes to the feathers; below it is pale fawn spotted with brown. 

 (To be continued). 



