92 FAUNA AND FLORA OF PALESTINE. 



It inhabits the whole of Europe and Asia south of latitude 64° as far 

 as North-west India, and also China and Japan. In North Africa it 

 occurs in winter. The North American Long-eared Owl is barely 

 separable. 



183. Asio brachyoius. (J. R. Forster. Phil. Trans. Ixii., p. 384.) 

 Short-eared Owl. 



The Short-eared Owl is only a winter visitant. I found it once 

 in the hill country of the south, and sometimes in the north. 



No Owl, except the Barn Owl, has so extensive a range. The whole 

 world, except Australia and Oceania, is inhabited by it, and even in 

 Oceania it is found in the Sandwich Islands. 



184. SyrnuDii ainco. (Linn. Syst. Nat. i., p. 102.) Tawny Owl. 

 Heb., rhh (probably). A. V. ' Screech Owl.' 



Not uncommon in the forest districts of Gilead and Bashan, and also 

 all over the wooded portions of Lebanon. It is seldom seen, but its 

 unmistakable hoot can often be heard at night, when encamped in the 

 woods. It descends into the Jordan valley, and I found a nest in a tree in 

 Gilead. The Palestine specimens are, so far as I have noticed, always 

 much greyer than those from England, and are not in the least 

 tawny. 



This Owl inhabits the whole of Europe, North Africa to the Atlas 

 range, and Asia Minor and Syria, but has rarely if ever been found east 

 of the Ural mountains. 



185. Scops gill. Scop. Ann. I. Hist. Nat., p. 19. Scops Owl. 

 Hebr., IISp (probably). Arab., <-4>^^. Maroof. 



Very common in spring about old ruins and olive-groves, returning 

 about the middle of April. It breeds both in the walls of ruins and 

 in hollow trees. 



Its note is very peculiar, represented by Its Arabic name, or more 

 accurately like kin kin, repeated monotonously at regular intervals. 



It is a summer visitor to Southern Europe, retiring to Africa in 

 winter. It is found eastward as far as Turkestan. In India, China, and 

 Japan it is represented by closely allied species. 



