/■/(■/(/ Aotvs /roiii Masliuiialaiid . 
55 
'riu'rc wcro i)leiuy ol iiU crestiiiL; episodes, but kj-'o was 
certainly one of my worst seasons as res^'ards the rearing;' of 
yonui^". 
'i'li^' ,!^roun(l of this a\iary is not Icveh and purposely so; 
it consists of level places, some larj^e hanks and small raised 
lines of ground, which guide the surface water into a tiny pit, 
which is the lowest si)ot in the aviary, with a large stone sink 
at the bottom, which holds the water; l have planted reeds and 
bullrushes. The I)ack and sides of the pit are built up of stones, 
the front ojjcns out, and rises to ground level in a steep slope. 
The i)liotos and ground diagrams give a good idea of the 
arrangement, but where space i)ermitted 1 planted the privet in 
clumps — one large tall bush in the centre witli smaller ones 
around it. 
(To he cuiichidcd). 
^^M-^ 
Field Notes from Mashonaland. 
By (iuv 1'",\lk.\i;r. F./.S. 
Concluded Iroiii /^rt.ifc -/i- 
(JwLs : Among the conmionest birds of the veldt are 
" Brown ()wls." * so called locally; I do not know their correct 
name. They are nearly as big as an Eagle-( )wl. but with white 
on the tips of the feathers, shadin.g to buff in some individuals. 
They hardly ever perch ; only once have I seen one do so and 
that was on a chimney. They spend the greater part of the day 
crouching in " forms " after the manner of a hare; occasionally 
they may be seen by daylight, but this is very rare. Towards dusk 
they get very busy " hawking " for flying ants; they fly very 
fast, often making very quick turns and steep " banks," remind- 
ing one more of swallows than owls. They breed from June 
to July, and lay two white eggs in a slight depression on the 
veldt, generally near a spruit. I was never lucky enough to 
procure a nestling, or nestlings rather, as it would have been 
very interesting having a hand-reared pair; they .get so tame, 
* Probably the Spotted Eagle-Owl (Bubo maculosa). — Ed. 
m 
