150 Mr. J. H. Gurney's Notes on ^fl 



serving them, both birds being at the time quite healthy and in 

 good condition : — " The character of the plumage, the position 

 and motion of the tufts or ' horns,' and the colour of the iris, 

 which is rich orange, appear to show that this species is a true 

 Otus. The eyes are peculiarly prominent, which is especially 

 evident when the eyelids are closed. '^ 



Some particulars of the nidification of this species in Natal 

 and in Damara Land will be found in 'The Ibis ' for 1862 (p. 26) . 



BRACHyoTus PALUsTRis, Bp. Short-carcd Owl. 



The Zoological Society has lately acquired from Natal a 

 living bird of this widely-spread species. It is a dark-coloured 

 example, but not more so than some English specimens that 

 have come under my notice. 



65. Steix POENSis, Eraser. South- African Screech-Owl. 



I do not feel by any means so confident as Mr. Layard is of 

 the specific distinctness of the South- African form of S.flammea, 

 not having had the opportunity of comparing a sufficient series 

 of northern and southern birds to enable me to form a decided 

 opinion on the subject ; if, however, the southern race be really 

 distinct, it should bear the specific name of S. poensis, which 

 has priority over that of S. affinis, as has been pointed out by 

 Mr. Blyth (Ibis, 1866, p. 251). 



66. ScELOSTEix CAPENSis (Smith). South- African Grass- 

 Owl. 



Mr. Layard in his remarks on the preceding species, men- 

 tions this Owl and Strix poensis as being both of them as closely 

 related to S.flammea "as the black Crows"; but the present 

 species difi'ers much from either of the others, in coloi-ation, in 

 configuration, and in habits, and belongs to the naturally distinct 

 though restricted group forming the subgenus Scelostrix of 

 Dr. Kaup (Trans. Zool. Soc. iv. p. 248), who treats the species as 

 identical with the Indian S. Candida (Tickell) ; but I agree 

 with Mr. Blyth (Ibis, 1863, p. 31, note) and with Dr. Jerdon 

 (B.Ind. i. p. 119) in believing them to be specifically distinct. 



It is, I think, to be regretted that the following six distinct 

 species of African Owls (to which I have prefixed Mr. La- 

 yard's numbers) should all have received the specific name of 



