242 Mr. J. H. Gurney's List of a Collection of Birds 



men from Mr. Warwick, who assured me that he received it 

 from Erzeroom. — J. H. G.] 



22. AcciPiTER ExiLis (Tcmm.). Red-bellied Hawk. 



This hawk is rare, but not shy ; it will sometimes carry off 

 a small chicken with great swiftness, disappearing as suddenly 

 as it appeared. Iris yellow. 



23. AcciPiTER MiNULLUs (Daud.). Least African Hawk. 

 Lives in the bush, darting with incredible celerity on any 



small bird that comes within its reach, and taking it on the 

 wing. Iris light yellow ; legs bright yellow. 



24. Circus ranivorus (Daud.). South-African Harrier. 

 Eyes and legs light yellow. Very similar in their habits to 



Milvus parasitus, but hunt more over one spot of ground, back- 

 wards and forwards, flying close to the ground, and frequently 

 hunting the same spot day after day ; though their flight 

 appears laboured and heavy, they keep on the wing a gi'cat 

 length of time, seldom alighting except to take their prey, which 

 they devour on the ground, and which principally consists of 

 rats. They do not feed on carrion, like Milvus parasitus. 



25. Ephialtes capensis (Smith). Cape Scops Owl. 

 Male. Eye large and bright yellow ; feet brownish yellow. 



Rare here. The only one we have shot : the stomach contained 

 a few moths, but no signs of mice, or anything of that kind. 



This Owl utters a shrill, melancholy, monotonous note, gene- 

 rally soon after sunset, and occasionally in the night. 



26. Bubo maculosus (Vieill.). Spotted Eared-Owl. 

 Rather rare and very shy. Roosts in trees. Iris yellow. 



27. Athene woodfordi (Smith). Woodford^s Owl. 

 [Sent from Natal, but not by Mr. Ayres.— J. H. G.] 



28. Strix capensis (Smith). Cape Yellow Owl. 



Feeds on rats ; sleeps in the day-time on the ground, in the 

 grass. I have never seen them alight on trees. Eye black. 



29. Capri MULGUS infuscatus (Riipp.). Fuscous Goatsucker. 

 These birds roost only in trees, and when disturbed fly to 



another tree, always perching lengthways on the branch. When 



