420 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Distribution of a private Collection. — The museum of the late 

 J. R. Wallace, of Distington, was sold by auction on August 1st and 

 following days. Mr. Wallace lived for many years in the Isle of Man, and 

 several of his British birds were procured on that island. Lot 1145 

 included an immature Black-tailed God wit, procured on the Isle of Man, 

 and presented to Mr. Wallace by Dr. Hulme. Lot 1160 included a Grey 

 Phalarope, in autumn dress, from Man. Lot 1188 included a Richardson's 

 Skua from Langness Point. Lots 1210 and 1227 included female Smews 

 from the Isle of Man. Lots 1229 and 1230 consisted of two pairs of 

 Shovellers from the Isle of Man. Lot 1241 was a Whooper from the Isle 

 of Man. Lot 1211 consisted of a Brent and a Bernacle Goose from the 

 same. I also bought a Cornish Chough from the island. The rarest 

 Cumbrian specimen was a well authenticated example (immature) of the 

 Spoonbill. Another bird which I secured was a hybrid between the 

 Hooded and Carrion Crows, killed at St. Bees. The three last named go 

 to the Carlisle Museum. There was also a local Hoopoe, but it was much 

 faded, and we have already two local specimens in the Carlisle Museum ; 

 so I did not bid for it. A fair specimen of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker 

 and some other good birds were bought for the Tring Museum.— H. A. 

 Macpherson (Allonby Vicarage, Maryport). 



AVI CULT URAL NOTES. 

 Cape Scops Owl (Scops capensis) in Captivity. — I had the rare 

 pleasure of observing one of these queer little Owls in captivity. It lived 

 in a small cage for about a month. Its food consisted mainly of Rats, which 

 were trapped, killed, and given him. It was astonishing what sized Rats the 

 little Owl could devour. He would seize them with one foot, and tear off 

 the flesh, leaving nothing but the head. Small mice were swallowed whole. 

 He also ate small birds and raw beef occasionally. When approached he 

 would erect his ears, blink and roll his eyes, half-spread the wings, and rock 

 from side to side with a sort of circular motion, thus presenting a very 

 comical appearance. If I stuck my finger into his cage, he would peck at 

 it violently. He had still another method of showing his displeasure, or 

 expressing his rage, by snapping his jaws together with a loud clacking 

 noise. This little Owl only measured 6£ in. in length. Iris light golden 

 yellow ; feet and bill greyish black.— Alwin C. Haagner (Modderfontein, 

 Transvaal). 



[I kept a specimen of the Spotted Eagle-Owl {Bubo maculosus) for some 

 years in captivity. I used at first to feed this bird largely on live Rats, which 

 it attacked most courageously, and would sit on the body of its victim all day, 

 though it always kept the Rat's head outside its feet both before and after 

 death. After some months in captivity it lost its courage, and would not 



