140 STKIGID^E. 



irides, which are yellow in the present species, and hazel in the 

 Cape-Owl." Favier. 



The above story about the hybrids is difficult to believe, and 

 is to my mind apocryphal ; however, it is given for what it may 

 be worth. I confess I am very sceptical as to the assertions 

 made about the interbreeding of different species in an absolute 

 state of nature, excepting only the Gallinse ; but most hybrids 

 among these are produced under circumstances of acclimatization 

 which can hardly be called a really wild state. 



The Short-eared Owl may nest so far south, but, as far as my 

 observations go, is in Andalucia only a winter visitor, and even 

 then not very abundant. I should have omitted this story of 

 Favier's but that it has appeared in print before. 



Disk and operculum like last ; ear-tufts very short. 

 Above tawny, each feather with dark brown down the centre ; below 

 buff, streaked with blackish brown ; iris yellow. Length 14-10^ inches. 



169. Asio capensis (Smith). Marsh-Owl. 



Moorish. El hama. 



" Is a common resident near Tangier, usually frequenting wet 

 swampy ground, feeding chiefly on insects. Some pass over to 

 Europe in March and April, returning in November and 

 December. They nest on the ground in April or May, laying 

 four, rarely five, round white eggs, sometimes marked with a few 

 rusty spots. The young are not always hatched at the same 

 time, as in the same nest may be found young birds of diiferent 

 growths." Favier. 



My experiences of this Owl in Spain are very limited, and as 

 follows: In October 1868, on my first visit to Casas Viejas, 

 when looking for Snipe in one of the wettest parts of the Mill 

 soto, two Owls rose at my feet, which I shot, winging one, which 

 I carried home alive to take to Gibraltar, seeing at once from the 

 bluish-black colour of the irides that I had got an Owl which I 

 did not know. Afterwards hunting about, one more was seen, and 



