Ornithology of Cyprus. 33 



Limassol and was assured that the species bred in the island, 

 but the specimens he obtained (in April, 1875) shewed no 

 symptom of doing so. It was also procured by Pearse and 

 Guillemard. Glaszner sent Madarasz specimens, taken in 

 September, October, November and January, near Larnaca. 



691. Scops giu (Scopoli). 



The European Scops-Owl is not quite identical with theloca 

 form which is so familiar to residents in Cyprus. Madarasz, 

 who has now separated the latter as Scops cyprius, has 

 pointed out, as a remarkable fact, that the European form 

 occurs, though apparently rarely, as a winter visitor to the 

 island, Glaszner having sent him six specimens of it taken 

 near Larnaca in March, September, and October. 



692. Scops cyprius (Mad.). 



The Cyprian Scops-Owl is a common resident in the island. 

 Lord Lilford found it very abundant and, no doubt, had he 

 written his notes in these latter days, when differentiation 

 between closely similar forms is carried out very minutely, 

 would have anticipated Madarasz in the separation of the 

 local bird as an insular species, in view of the fact that he, in 

 1889, drew particular attention to the very dark plumage of 

 all the specimens obtained by himself and his collectors in 

 Cyprus. He was not, however, very clear as to the status 

 of the species in the island and from his remarks evidently 

 regarded it as mainly a summer visitor and only partially a 

 resident. Pearse sent him specimens obtained in November 

 and December. Miiller mentions four clutches of eggs taken 

 between May 8th and 23rd. Guillemard found it nesting 

 in a hole in the roof of a house in the first week in May. 

 Glaszner sent a long series to Madarasz taken in January, 

 February, March, and October. Madarasz gives a three- 

 colour-process plate of Scops cyprius in his paper '' Ueber 

 die Vogel Cyperns " (1904). 



According to our observations the Cyprian Scops-Owl is 

 net uncommon, and I have not infrequently found it in the 

 summer well up the Troodos mountains. Mr. Baxendale 



SER. IX. — VOL. IV. it 



