912 LITTLE OWL. Class II. 



it appear larger : the irides are of a light yellow : 

 the bill of a paper color : the feathers that en- 

 circle the face are white tipt with black : the 

 head brown, fpotted with white : the back, and 

 coverts of the wings of a deep olive brown ; the 

 latter fpotted with white : on the breaft is a mix- 

 ture of white and brown : the belly is white, 

 marked with a few brown fpots : the tail of the 

 fame color with the back : in each feather barred 

 with white : in each adorned with circular white 

 fpots, placed oppofite one another on both fides the 

 fhaft: the legs and feet are covered with feathers 

 down to the claws. 



The Italians made ufe of this owl to decoy 

 fmall birds to the limed twig : the method of which 

 is- exhibited in Olina*^ uccelliera^ p. 6^,. 



Mr. Steuart^ the admirable author of the Anti- 

 quities of Athens^ informed me that this fpecies of 

 owl was very common in Attica -, that they were 

 birds of pafTage, and appeared there the beginning 

 of April in great numbers ; that they bred there ; 

 and that they retired at the fame time as the StorkSy 

 whofe arrival they a little preceded. 



Order 



