42 BIBDS OF DAMABA LAND. 



in pairs, and perches on large trees ; it utters at night, 

 and sometimes during the day, a most formidable, 

 hollow, and sepulchral cry or hoot. Its food consists of 

 mice and other small quadrupeds, birds, lizards, and 

 large beetles. The iris is very dark hazel. 

 Measurements of a male : — 



in. lin. 



Entire length 23 10 



Length of folded wing . . . . 16 7 



„ tarsus 3 



„ middle toe 2 3 



„ tail 9 8 



„ biU 2 



[I believe that no figure of this South-African species has yet 

 been published, though the nearly allied but smaller and more 

 northern race, Huhua lacteus (Temm.) is figiired in the ' Planches 

 Coloriees/ pi. 4. — Ed.J 



52. Bubo maculoSUS (VieiL.). Spotted Eagle-Owl. 



Strix africana, Temminck's PI. Col. pi. 50. 

 Bubo maculosus, Layard's Cat. No. 59. 



„ „ (part.), Finsoh & Hartlaub's Vogel 0st-A6ika's, 



p. 103. 



This Owl is sparingly met with in Damara and Great 

 Namaqua Land ; its food comprises rats and large beetles. 

 The irides are bright yellow, and the bill black. 



[Some naturalists, including Drs. Finsch and Hartlaub, Zoc.ci/., 

 have supposed this species to be identical with Bubo cinerascens, 

 of Guerin, from Equatorial Africa, a very distinct species be- 

 longing to the genus Huhua (or Nyctaetus), and having, like the 

 other species of HuKua, dark brown irides, very different from 

 the golden-yellow iris which is universal in the genus Bvio. — 

 Ed.J 



