28 Mr. C. H. Taylor on Births 



495. Syrnium woodfordi. (Woodford's Owl.) 

 ? . 28.6.06. Indhlovudvvalilie. Iris brown ; bill and legs 

 yellow ; claws slaty black. In stomach mouse. 



Rare. Only one specimen seen and obtained. When in a 

 patch of dense bush my attention was drawn to an Owl that 

 was being chased by numerous small birds, chiefly Bulbuls ; 

 it alighted in a thick tree, but although I could not see it 

 I was aware of its presence by the angry behaviour of these 

 small birds, which kept up a constant chattering ; on my 

 throwing a stone into the tree it flew out to another quite 

 close by and was shot. This bird was flying about in bright 

 sunlight during the middle of the day. As a rule they un- 

 doubtedly keep to the thickest bush. One which I shot in 

 the Great Letaba Valley in the Zoutpansberg flew out of a 

 clump of banana-trees which had been allowed to grow wild, 

 within a few yards of some farm buildings, where peo})le 

 were constantly passing to and fro. 



497. *BuBO MACULOSUS. (Spotted Eagle Owl.) 



Fairly plentiful. When approached in the daytime they 

 rarely move until one is within a few feet of them. On one 

 occasion I poked one, which was sitting on a rock just above 

 me, with the end of my gun. As mentioned by Layard, 

 pointers will stand them like game. 



498. ^BuBO LACTEUS. (Verreaux's Eagle Owl.) 



I have not seen this Owl myself, but include it in the list 

 on the authority of several reliable witnesses ; its huge size 

 renders it not likely to be mistaken for any other species. 



508. TiNNUNCULUS RuncoLUS. (South African Kestrel.) 

 (a) 9 . 5.9.06. Indhlovudwalilie. In stomach locusts 

 and beetles. 



Very common. These birds are very fond of locusts and 

 will follow a swarm for miles ; the stomach and crop of one 

 shot was found to be full of them. They undoubtedly do a 

 lot of good, feeding chicfl}* on grasshoppers and spiders, as 

 wf'll as other insects. 



