256 BUBONIDiE GLAUCIDIUM 



to Cape Colony, but appears to be very rare or ubsent in the forest 

 districts of West Africa, 



Within our limits it is widely distributed, though apparently very 

 rarely met with, probably on account of its strictly nocturnal habits 

 and small size. 



The following are localities : Cape Colony — Swellendam (S. A. 

 Mus.) ; Natal — Near Newcastle (Butler), Ulundi in Zululand 

 (Woodward) ; Transvaal — Sabi river, common (Francis in S. A. 

 Mus.), Eustenburg (Ayres), Potchefstroom (S. A. Mus.); Bechuana- 

 land — Near Lake Ngami (Eriksson in S. A. Mus.) ; Ehodesia— near 

 Sibanini in west Matabeleland (Holub) ; German south-west 

 Africa — Damaraland, rare (Andersson), Eeheboth (Fleck), Ochim- 

 bora (Eriksson in S. A. Mus.). 



Habits. — But few observations have been made on the habits 

 of this little Owl. It is seldom if ever seen during the day and 

 probably escapes observation at night owing to its small size. It 

 has a low melancholy and monotonous note, " kroo kroo," heard 

 soon after sunset or later during the night according to Ayres, while 

 one met with by Andersson made a noise something like the 

 tapping of a woodpecker, which was probably caused by the 

 opening and shutting of the beak. This species appears to confine 

 itself to insect food, beetles and moths having been found in the 

 stomachs of individuals examined by Ayres and Francis. 



Genus V. GLAUCIDIUM. 



Type. 

 Glaucidium, Boie, Isis, 1826, p. 970 G. passerinum. 



Bill small, cere inflated and pea - shaped, within which are 

 placed the nostrils which are small and round ; facial disc hardly 

 marked out from the surrounding area ; no ear tufts ; wings short 

 and rounded falling short of the tip of the tail by at least the length 

 of the tarsus ; first primary shorter than the secondaries ; tarsi 

 feathered to the base of the toes, which are themselves covered with 

 short bristles. 



This genus, containing about thirty species of small Owls, is 

 spread nearly all over the world except in the Australian region. 

 Two species are found in South Africa. 



