Correspondence



123



or yellowish. Nothing appears to be known of the habits of this

interesting bird to explain the powerfully developed bill.


The other bird represents the species called by Oates the White¬

winged Myna (Sturnia nemoricola), which he records from Pegu and

Tenasserim. It is closely allied to the common Malabar Myna (Sturnia

or Paliopsar malabarica ), but differs principally in having the winglet,

or bastard wing, and the primary wing-coverts entirely or in part

white in the newly moulted adult instead of black. The two species,

how r ever, appear to be very much alike when immature, and even

after reaching maturity, when the plumage is faded and worn. It nests

at the same time of the year, that is to say, in May and June, as the

Malabar Myna, and has similar eggs.


Mr. La Touche also sent to the Zoological Society at the same

time an example of the Great Eagle Owl, which he tells me in his

letter he believes to be the representative of aii undescribed local race.


_ R. I. P.


CORRESPONDENCE


JARDINE’S OWL


Sirs, —In reply to Mr. Meade-Waldo’s inquiry in the May number

of the Magazine, my Jardine’s Owls showed no intermediate plumage

between the dowif and the adult. The only difference between the

young and their parents was that the former were paler and the markings

not so distinct. By the autumn there was no difference, and it was

very difficult to distinguish the young from the old.


Ethel F. Chawner.


Forest Bank, Lyndhurst, Hants.


3rd July, 1921.



THE MARSH OWL


Sirs, —I have lately secured a nice specimen of the African Marsh

Owl, Asio capensis, a quietly coloured but very pretty bird, with full,

soft plumage in dusky browns and greys, wings tipped and barred, with

tawny yellow and tail the same. The face is paler grey and very round,

the eyes look black, but are really mahogany coloured, and being set

in dark feathers look larger than they really are. The legs and feet are



