OWLS 141 



by the Malagasy as a bird of ill-omen ; they call it Vbrondolo 

 i.e. " spirit-bird " thinking it an embodiment of the spirits of 

 the wicked ; and when its startling screeching cry is heard in 

 the night they believe it to be a presage of misfortune. There 

 are numerous fables and stories about the owl, illustrating the 

 popular dread of the bird. But like the owls in all other parts 

 of the world, the Madagascar species are really public bene- 

 factors, by keeping down the number of rats and mice and other 

 vermin ; and yet their nocturnal habits, their large staring eyes, 

 the " uncanny " ear-like feathers of some, and especially their 

 unearthly screech, have all combined to make them objects of 

 dread. One species of owl is really a beautifully coloured bird, 

 its plumage being pale brown, spotted with silvery markings. 



The bush and woods of small trees which are found surround- 

 ing the upper belt of forest do not show many flowers during 

 the cold season of the year. Yet even during these cooler 

 months May to August innumerable objects of interest 

 present themselves to those who will use their eyes as they walk 

 along the woodland paths. Among the few flowers that are 

 to be seen, besides the ever-present orange spikes of the Seva 

 (Buddleia madagascariensis), and the purple flowers of the 

 Sevabe (Solanum auriculatum) are the bell-like reddish flowers of 

 a species of Kitchingia, which are rather plentiful ; and towards 

 the end of August a number of small trees and bushes are 

 showing clusters of handsome crimson flowers ; while a purple 

 trumpet-shaped flower is to be seen here and there. Not 

 uncommon is a shrub with small red flowers, like honeysuckle, 

 growing at the axils of the leaves and all along the stems. More 

 rare is a good-sized bush, with large light green and glossy 

 leaves, and with clusters of yellow fruits, much like large white 

 currants. This shrub would be a handsome addition to a 

 garden. Berries of various hues black, red, orange and 

 yellow are fairly plentiful ; and in many bushes and trees 

 the lack of flowers is almost made up for by the brilliant scarlet, 

 or crimson, or orange colours of the new leaves, and in others 

 again by the bright orange or red of the fading leaves. 



There are few trees of any size left in the woods in the imme- 

 diate vicinity of the sanatorium, or near the paths through 

 them ; they have all been cut down for the timber market in 

 the capital, or for house-building in the nearer villages. But 



