40 BIRDS OF DAMABA LAND. 



World species of the genus Scops with which I am acquainted. 

 The only other individual of Scops capensis which has come under 

 my notice was obtained in Natal by Mr. Ayres, and is now pre- 

 served in the Norwich Museum ; this is a more rufous specimen, 

 but appears to me to be nevertheless referable to this species. 

 From a recent comparison of specimens I believe Scops capensis 

 to be quite distinct from the "West- African S. senegalensis, which 

 I have only seen from Senegal^ Bissao, and the Gaboon, and 

 which I consider is also distinct from the more northern S. zorca. 

 This last-named species occurs in Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, and 

 Nubia, which seems to be its most southern limit. — Ed.] 



50. Scops leucotis (Temm.). White-faced Scops Owl. 



Sfrix leucotis, Temminck's PI. Col. pi. 16. 



SC02JS leucotis, Strickland & Sclater, Birds Damar., Oontr. Orn. 1852, 



p. 142. 

 Tufted Owl, Balnea's South-west Africa, woodcut at p. 213. 

 Ephialtes leucotis, Layard's Cat. Ko 61. 

 Strix leucotis, Chapman's Travels in S. Afr., App. p. 393. 

 Bubo lezicotis, Finsch & Hartlaub's Vogel Ost-AMka's, p. 106. 



Next to Athene ^erlata, this is about the most com- 

 mon Owl in Damara Land and the parts adjacent to the 

 northward; it is also pretty frequent in the Lake- 

 regions, but is less frequently observed in Great Namaqua 

 Land. 



It is always seen in pairs ; and though strictly a night 

 Owl, its vision by day is by no means bad. 



This Owl lays two or three pure-white eggs, rather 

 smaller than those of Otus vulgaris, very broad, and 

 equally rounded at both ends. 



I found nests of this species on the respective dates 

 of September 18th, October 15th, October 31st, and 

 November 10th. 



The first of these was in the hollow of a tree ; the 



