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AFRICAN SCOPS OWL. 



Scops SencgalensiS) SWAINS. 



Variegated with grey, ferruginous, and black; ears, grey, 

 without any marginal band ; marginal base of the shoulders, 

 whitish. Second quill-feather shorter than the fifth. 



So many authors of good repute* have recorded 

 that the little Horned Owl of Europe is also a native 

 of Africa, that in the absence of positive proof to 

 the contrary, we were bound to believe the fact. 

 Every fresh examination, however, of these species, 

 which on equally good testimony are asserted 

 to inhabit widely different regions, diminishes the 

 number of these supposed cosmopolites, and throws 

 increased doubt upon the remainder. It is im- 

 possible, of course, to know whether the bird wt 

 shall now describe is that which has been mistaken 

 for the European scops ; but if so, we hesitate not 

 to pronounce it a decidedly different species. The 

 specimen from the south of France is now before 

 us, together with that we here designated, for the 

 first time, under the name of S. Senegalensis. It 

 may at once be known from the former, by being 

 smaller, by the absence of the black marginal or 

 semicircular line behind the ear, and by the whitish 

 colour of the shoulders. The two first might be 

 * Le Vaillant, Tcirrniinck, &c. 



