642 Recently published Ornithological Woi'ks. 



JSeumann on African Owls and Flycatchers. 



[Ueber einige afrilianische Ulius. Von Oscar Neumann. Journ. f. 

 Ornith. 1914, pp. 85-38. 



Vermeintliche Unica des Philadelphia und des Wiener Museums, und 

 ihre systematische Stellung. Id. ibid. pp. 156-157.] 



lu the first of these short notes Mr. Oscar Neumann 

 discusses the position of an Eagle-Owl^ Bubo ascalaphus 

 trothee, recently described by Dr. Reichenow from German 

 South-West Africa. This^ from an examination of the type, 

 is found to have nothing to do with Bubo hibo or Bubo b. 

 ascalaphus, but is close to^ if not identical with, the South 

 African form usually known as B. macidosus. A further 

 point discussed is the nomenclature of this latter species. 

 By Reichenow it is called Bubo nisuella (Daud.), a name 

 founded on Levaillant's "Choucouhou" ; but Levaillant's 

 figure cannot be identified with any certainty, and has con- 

 siderable resemblance to the bird generally known as Otus 

 capensis. The next available name by which this Owl has 

 been generally known is Bubo macidosus (Vieill.) ; in this 

 case^ again^ our author points out that the description is 

 quite inapplicable and that the earliest certain and undoubted 

 description is that of Temminck (PI. Col. ii. 1821, tab. 50) 

 under the name of Strix africana. He therefore suggests 

 that the Cape Owl, usually known as Bubo maculatus 

 (Vieill.) and sometimes as B. nisuella (Daud.), should in 

 future be referred to as Bubo africanus (Temm.). 



The second note deals with two of Cassin's types, collected 

 by Du Chaillu in West Africa, and described as Parisoma 

 olivascens (afterwards made by Reichenow the type of his 

 genus Apatema) and Hypodes cinerea (first placed by Cassia 

 in the genus Eopsaltria). 



The first of these our author would identify with a Fly- 

 catcher from Fantee in the British Museum, labelled 

 " Butalis grisola,'' and also with Bradornis sylvia Rchw. from 

 Karaerun. This species should be referred to the genus 

 Alseonax^ and the bird should be known in future as 

 A. olivascens (Cass.). 



