146 RAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. 
have been the larger species, Huhua lacteus. A fine Eagle- 
Owl was shot while we were in Egypt by the Duke of 
Connaught’s party. 
30. SHORT-EARED OWL, Asio accipitrinus (Pall.) ; 
Otus brachyotus (Forster). 
I saw skins to sell at Alexandria and Damietta. Mr. 
Allen says it comes in April (Ibis, 1864, p. 236). Can this 
be a misprint ? 
31. BARN OWL, Strix flammea, Linn., (Hasselquist, 196) ; 
“Buma Beda.” 
During the day they generally repose in the crown ofa 
palm, or in the recesses of cliffs. Once north, and repeatedly 
south of Cairo, we met with this Owl. I found one in the 
sanctuary, or adytum of Edfou, and all my efforts could 
not dislodge him; but the place where we saw most of 
them was in the lofty cliffs of Gebel-Abou-Foeder. Here I 
counted as many as three pairs in an afternoon’s row. They 
had all chosen lower holes than the Egyptian Geese which 
were nesting in the same locality, seeming, like the numerous 
Pigeons, not to go above high water-mark. On the 27th 
May I saw one in the Ezbekeiah garden at Cairo.* 
32. SOUTHERN LITTLE OWL or ATHENIAN OWL, 
Carine glaux (Savigny) ; “Booma.” 
This is a comical little bird, and very common in every 
village. In some parts there is not a clump of Palm tree 
© From Mr. Combin, the keeper of the Cromer lighthouse, I learn 
that Barn Owls are attracted by the moths which come in large num- 
bers to the lantern. He has seen them catch them. I believe this fine 
light, visible at twenty-seven miles’ distance, has been the death of 
many a rarity, 
