Expeditiun to the White Nile. '26^ 



that it was only a bough broken off short, when I thought I 

 saw two ears. Still I could not make out the form of a bird. 

 I went back for my companions, and we all examined the 

 " lump " with our glasses, but so thick was the tree, and so 

 exactly did the outline resemble a stump, that it was some time 

 before we decided that it was an Owl, We fired at it, and 

 down fell two Owls, while another flew out of the tree. 

 We obtained two others at Wad Mariun. 



Adult. Iris bright orange; bill greenish white; claws 

 light brown. 



85. Bubo lacteus (Temm.). 



One bird obtained a little north of Duem was the only 

 specimen seen. 



Adult. Iris dark brown; eyelids pale yellowish blue; bill 

 milky white, becoming bluish at the base. 



86. Falco tanypterus Schl. 



Fairly frequent from Duem southwards, but not often seen 

 north of that place. We witnessed an interesting chase 

 near Shebesha. When we were riding along by the river, a 

 small bird dashed over our heads at a terrific pace. Two 

 FalconSj presumably of this species, came rushing through 

 the air side by side about 20 yards behind it. They had not 

 gone 50 yards beyond us, when one of them gave a slight 

 downward swoop and then flew slowly on, while the other 

 checked his flight, turned round, and flew away in the 

 direction from which both had come. We thought that 

 they had given up the chase_, as, although the quarry had 

 disappeared, it seemed impossible from the pace at which 

 it was flying that the Falcons could have overtaken it in so 

 short a distance and with so little effort. However, the first 

 bird soon alighted on the ground, and then we saw that it 

 had indeed captured its prey. What species it was we could 

 not discover, as the Falcon kept a respectful distance and 

 could not be induced to surrender the quarry. 



Adult. Iris dark brown; bill yellowish white at base, 

 black at tip ; cere greenish yellow ; legs and feet lemon- 

 yellow. 



