298 ‘Mr. C. F. M. Swynnerton on the 
cob; it was noticeably sick only for a day before its death. 
This sudden tameness before death appears not to be un- 
common, Mr. Marshall informing me that he has seen 
several instances of it in his aviary at Salisbury. 
135. Pa@ocrerHaALus MEYERI. Meyer’s Parrot. 
I saw a good many of these little Parrcts in Gunye’s 
country, east of the Sitatonga forest, in June 1900, and am 
informed that this is the common species of the Sabi 
Valley. I do not remember having seen it on the 
highlands. 
136. Srrrx rraMMEA. Barn-Owl. 
I have never myself seen this species here, but Kafirs, 
when shown my Salisbury skin, have invariably recognised 
it, imitating its cry more or less correctly, and stating that it 
is not very uncommon. Though looking on this Owl as 
a bird of ill-omen, they do not regard it, or, for that matter, 
Syrnium woodfordi, with the same dread as they do Budo 
lacteus. 
The look of intense wisdom on an Owl’s countenance 
is remarked by the natives, and they usually represent it 
in their stories as a somewhat silly person with a vast 
idea of his own intellect: one story, too long to quote in 
full, makes the Owl cut rather a poor figure beside the Parrot, 
which they regard as a distinctly clever bird. 
137. BuBo macutosus. Spotted Eagle-Owl. 
This is the common Owl of the open woodlands, 
usually roosting in trees, though on one or two occasions 
I have put it up out of long grass. I have once seen it 
on the outskirts of Chirinda, but do not believe that it 
frequents the large forest-patches to any extent. As in 
Europe, the Owl is here regarded as a bird of evil omen, its 
ery over a hut in which a person is lying sick being said to 
destroy all hope of recovery, and in any case to presage 
death or disaster. The stomach of one of these birds con- 
tained a number of large weevils, swallowed whole. 
