265 



ASIO CAPENSIS. 



(CAPE EARED OWL.) 



Otus capensis, Smith, S.-Afr. Quart. Journ. ser. 2, vol. ii. p. 316 (1835). 

 Srachyotus capensis (Smith), Bp. Consp. Gen. Av. i. p. 51 (1850). 

 Strix capensis (Smith), Kjaerb. Naumannia, ii. Heft i. p. 10 (1852). 

 Phasmoptynx, Kaup (Otus capensis, Smith), Trans. Zool. Soc. iv. p. 237 (1852). 

 Phasmoptynx capensis (Smith), Bp. Rev. et Mag. Zool. 1854, p. 541. 

 Asio capensis (Smith), Strickl. Orn. Syn. p. 211 (1855). 

 Phasmoptynx capensis a. tingitanus, Bp, Cat. Parzud. p. 2 (1856). 

 \Mgolius capensis (Smith), Heugl. Syst. Uebers. p. 14 (1856). 

 Otus capensis major, Schlege], Mus. Pays-Bas, Oti, p. 3 (1873). 



Figurce notabiles. 

 Fritsch, Vog. Eur. taf. 11. fig. 7 ; Bree, B. of Eur. 2nd ed. i. pi. to p. 148. 



Ad. supra sordide fuscus indistincte pallidiore vermiculatus : tectricibus alarum superioribus magis vermicu- 

 latis et rufescente oehraceo notatis : remigibus primariis rufescenti-ochraceis apice fuscis, extus et iu 

 pogonio interno versus apicem nigro-fusco fasciatis, intimis albo apicatis : secundariis fuscis, intus 

 rufescente oehraceo fasciatis et (intimis exceptis) albido terminatis : rectricibus centralibus fuscis 

 oehraceo fasciatis, reliquis ochraceo-cervinis nigro-fusco fasciatis et albo apicatis : facie albida fusco 

 circumdata, periophthalmis nigro-fuscis : corpore subtus pallide fusco, pallide fulvido et albido guttato 

 et vermiculato : abdomine imo, tarsis et subeaudalibus ochraceo-cervinis immaculatis : subalaribus 

 rufescenti-ochraceis nigro-fusco notatis : iride, rostro et pedibus nigricantibus. 



Adult Male (Natal) . General colour above dark earth-brown with a chocolate tinge, narrowly and indis- 

 tinctly vermiculated with lighter brown, the wing-coverts rather more distinctly vermiculated and 

 marked with rufescent ochreous spots ; primaries rufescent ochreous, broadly barred on the outer web 

 and on the terminal half of the inner web with blackish brown, and broadly tipped with that colour, 

 some of the inner ones finally tipped with white ; secondaries dark brown, on the inner web barred with 

 rufescent ochreous, all but the innermost broadly tipped with white; central rectrices dark brown, 

 barred with three distinct basal and two indistinct terminal warm buff bands ; rest of the tail-feathers 

 warm buff, barred with blackish brown and broadly tipped with white ; ear-tufts very small ; face dull 

 white, pencilled with dark brown ; feathers round the eye black ; facial ruff black slightly marked with 

 reddish ochreous ; underparts pale brown, marked, spotted, and vermiculated with light fulvous and 

 whitish, becoming uniform ochreous buff on the lower abdomen, under tail-coverts, and legs ; under 

 wing-coverts rufescent ochreous, marked with blackish brown ; iris blackish brown ; bill and feet 

 blackish. Total length about 13'5-14 inches, culmen 1*5, wing 1T6, tail 6 - 0, tarsus 225. 



Adult Female. Does not differ from the male. 



This Owl is only known as an exceedingly rare straggler to South-western Europe ; but in North- 

 west Africa it is tolerably common, and ranges as far south as the Cape colony. It is only lately 



t2 



