HUHON'ID.IO AKIO 243 



occasionally found in southei-n Spain. Tlioro is a closely allied if 

 not identical owl in Madagascar. 



hi South Africa it is generally distributed throughout, though far 

 inore abiuidant on the eastern side, wliich is Ixitter watered and 

 therefore more suitable to its habits. 



The following are recorded localities : Capo Colony — Brcdasdorp 

 (Layard), King Williams Town (Trevelyan), Transkei where common 

 (Oakley); Natal — Common tliroughout Marit/.bnrg and Newcastle 

 (Gates) ; (Jrange Kivor Colony — liloeinfontein (Bt. Mas.) ftoodeval 

 and Vrodefort lid. (B, Hamilton) ; Transvaal — Lydenburg (Bt. Mus.), 

 Potchefstroom (Ayres), Limpopo river (Eriksson in S. A, Mus.); 

 Bechuanaland — Linokana near Mafeking (llolub); Mashonaland 

 (Ayres) ; German south-west Africa — Bare (Andersson and Fleck) ; 

 Portuguese east Africa — Senna (Alexander) and Shujjanga (Kirk) 

 on the Zambesi. 



Habits. — These Owls are confined to swampy places where tbey 

 conceal themselves among the rushes and long grass during the day. 

 They arc generally found in small parties of live and six individuals ; 

 when flushed they make short flights like a covey of partridges, 

 settling down again ahnost immediately ; though apparently flying 

 well by day, and not minding the sunlight, yet they naturally appear 

 more frequently at evening time when they search for their prey, 

 which consists of frogs, lizards, swamp-mice and aquatic insects. 

 The cry is a harsh screech not a hoot. 



Ayres found these Owls breeding in the swamps near Potchef- 

 stroom ; the nest merely consists of a slight cavity or depression in 

 the ground, lined with a few dry rushes and hidden under a clump 

 of reeds or long grass. The eggs, two to four in number, are pure 

 white and slightly glossy, measuring about 1-6 x li. Ayres 

 found the male bird assisting in incubation. 



Eriksson also found this Owl brrieding on the Limpopo near its 

 junction witli the Marico during the months from February to April, 

 and gives a similar account. 



494. Asio leucotis. WJdte-faccd Oivl. 



Strix IcucotiH, Tcmm. I'l. Col i, pi. 16 (1820). 



Ephialtes IcucotiH, Gnrney, Ibi/t, 1862, p. 26 [Natal] ; Layard, B. S. 



Aft: p. 41 (1867); Buckley, Ihin, 1874, p. ;{02 [Scrulc| ; Hal id ff 



I'clzeln, Orn. Sild-Afr. p. 47 (1882). 

 OtnH IcncotiK, (lurnry, Ihin, 1808, p. 149. 

 HcopH IcucotiH, /I// /r«, Ihin, 1871, p. 149 [l'f)t(;licl'si,ro()iii | ; (liinirij In 



AnderHHon'H Jl. JJaiiKini/nnil, p. 10 (1872); S/mr/ir, id. Ij/n/nrd'.i 



