NOTES FROM NATAL,. 205 



near Newcastle on the 23rd August. It was a female, and was 

 sitting in a tree, mobbed by a number of small birds. Iris pale 

 yellow ; feet and bill leaden-grey. 



Asio capensis (Smith), African Short-eared Owl. — Very common 

 in the grass-grown edges of the " vleys" in the neighbourhood of 

 Newcastle. Five or six may be seen on the wing together at times. 

 A pair obtained on the 18th May showed unmistakable signs of 

 breeding, but no nest was found. 



Strix capensis (Smith), South African Grass Owl. — Common, 

 but not so numerous as the preceding species, in company with 

 which it is found among the long dead grass near " vleys," or 

 small streams, in the Newcastle district. Reid found a pair at 

 Richmond Road Camp, near Maritzburg, on the 5th December, 

 and obtained the female. The ovary contained three enormously 

 developed eggs, the largest as big as an average-sized grape ; she 

 was evidently just about to nest. This time is at variance with 

 that in Layard's description (Atmore, in epist), where a nest 

 contained large young birds on the 26th May, but our experience 

 of the breeding of South African birds shows that no reliance 

 can be placed on any given dates for nests. Birds seem to breed 

 in the most erratic fashion, independent of seasons and state of 

 plumage. A male shot by Butler on the 28th September had the 

 iris blackish brown ; bill livid white, inclining to pink at the base ; 

 feet slate-colour. 



Strix flammea (Linn.), Barn Owl. — Reid shot a female near 

 Camperdown Station on December 15th. When first discovered 

 it was sitting in a dense bush at the bottom of a deep " donga," 

 or ravine. 



Caprimulgus europceus, Linn., Common European Nightjar. — 

 One, a male, obtained on the stony bed of a " donga" at Camper- 

 down on the 15th December (R). 



Cypselus apus (Linn.), Common Swift. — Seen in considerable 

 numbers at Durban and Maritzburg in April ; one was noted at 

 the latter place on the 15th August, and it was common there on 

 the 30th of that month (R). Towards the middle of September 

 Swifts made their appearance in the neighbourhood of Newcastle, 

 where they were afterwards common. They must breed, in our 

 opinion, in the crevices of the rocky ravines, otherwise why should 

 they choose their particular spot, fly constantly in and out of it 

 throughout the day, sometimes remaining there for a long time, 



