60 FRIENDS OP THE AGEICULTIXRIST 



species. Mr. J. C. Ingle has recently sent us a pair collected 

 near Pilgrimsrest, Lydenburg District. It is much emaller 

 than C. iurchelli. 



The Green Coucal {Geuthmochares australis) is easily dis- 

 tinguishable from all the other species by its green colour. 

 It extends along the east coast from British East Africa to 

 Natal ; it is not uncommon in the neighbourhood of Durban, 

 whence A. D. Millar records it as breeding in November. 

 Length, 13 J inches. 



OWLS 



The Owls (Order Stkiges) number amongst them some 

 of the farmers' most energetic friends, notwithstanding all 

 manner of silly superstitions attached to them, and pertina- 

 ceously believed in by the ignorant. They feed largely on 

 mice, rats, insects of various kinds and occasionally on birds. 



The Striges are divided into two families, the Strigidces 

 containing two species of the Bam Owl type, and the Bubo- 

 nidcB, a large group containing divers forms. 



The Bam Owl {Strix fiammea) is a bird common to Europe 

 and Asia. Professor Eeichenow, however, separated the 

 South African bird under the name of Strix flammea 

 maculata. It is pearly-grey in colour, vermiculated with 

 darker grey and spotted with brown above ; dirty white 

 below spotted with angular drop-shaped spots of brown. 

 Length, about 15| to 16 inches. 



It is known to the Boers as the Dood-vogel, from a popular 

 belief that if one of these birds screeches on the roof of a 

 house one of the inmates is sure to die. 



They lay two to four oval white eggs in a hollow tree or in 

 a hole in a wall. 



The Grass Owl {S. capensis) is of a much darker colour 



