1922.] the ^ear East and Tropical East Africa. 55 



Birds liave been recorded as breeding regularly in >Soutli 

 Africa from December to February. Tbey breed fur certain 

 in nortbern iSomaliland. 



In both Palestine and Kenya Colony birds were always 

 noted in small noisy parties, keeping continually on the 

 move and veiy wild. I never found birds in the same place 

 for more than 24 hours. 



Otus brucei (Hume). 



The common breeding and resident Sco})S in Alep[)0, three 

 nests being found with the old birds by Brig.-Gen. Clarke. 



Otus scops scops. 



I am unable to recognize Otus scops pulclielliis (Pallas). 

 Its supposed greyer coloration and larger size are, I believe, 

 matters of individual variation. In the eastern part of its 

 range, Otus scops scops is, on an average of a largo number 

 of measurements^ very slightly larger than the more western 

 and southern birds, but the overlaj) of measurement is so 

 extensive that the most inveterate " splitter "'' could scarcely 

 describe a subspecies on it. If splitting is insisted on, then 

 we could describe a whole host of geographical races of all 

 birds with an extensive range, not one of which could be 

 determined from individuals except by locality. It would 

 indeed be a prostitution of the trinomial system. 



ATHENE KOCTUA. 



Athene noctua glaiix fSav.) and Athene noctua lilith Hartert. 



In fresh autumn plunuige there is very little difference 

 between the upper parts oi' glaiLv from Egypt and lilith from 

 Palestine, except that lillt/t has more white s})otting about 

 the head and neck and is sliglitly more plum-coloured. In 

 worn plumage ylaux never bleaches to the extent that iditlL 

 do<^s. This latter race gradually fades until the upper parts 

 of breeding birds (Jerusalem in J\Iarch and April) ;ire of a 

 pale fawn colour with a regular white nuchal collar. 



But the under parts are the best characters of the two 

 races. In glaux the under parts in fresh autumn plumage 



