170 BIRDS OF EUROPE AND NORTH AFRICA 



O. scops powelli Meinertzhagen. Intermediate between 

 "O. s. scops" and "(X s. cyprius" (a resident race in Cyprus); 

 reddish Ijrovvn of former lacking above but a lighter grey than 

 the latter. Wing 147-160. 



Breeds. — Crete. 



Asio. 



Of medium size; ear tufts present, but vary in size; ear 

 openings very large and asymmetrical ; wings reach beyond 

 tail ; tarsi feathered. 



Asio otus otus (L.). Long-eared Owl. Fr. Hibou 

 vulgaire ; Gc7\ Waldohreule ; Ital. Gufo comune ; Swed. 

 Hornuggla. 



$ 9 Above, feathers freckled brown and white, centres 

 dark brown and bases pale rufous ; some wing coverts with 

 large white spots on outer webs ; quills rufous above, greyish 

 white beneath and barred with brown, at bases creamy white 

 unbarred ; ear tufts about 35 m.m. long, dark brown, rufous on 

 outer, white on inner margins; facial disc brownish buff; 

 beneath white mixed with rufous and with red brown central 

 streaks, under wing coverts white or pale rufous with broad 

 brown tips forming a large dark patch ; tail beneath with 6 to 7 

 narrow bars. Bill dark horn. Toes thinly feathered, claws dark 

 horn. Iris yellow. Wing 282-300. Tarsus 35-43. Bill 22-24. 



Reside jtf. — British Isles ; Continental Europe to near Arctic 

 Circle from Norway to Russia, in Urals to S7°'S9\ Caucasus ; 

 east across Siberia to Pacific ; W. Asia to Palestine ; N. Tunisia, 

 N. Algeria (very rare), N. Morocco and Azores. Rare visitor 

 to Egypt, Corsica, Sardinia, Malta. 



A. otus canariensis Madarasz. Darker, less rufous, also 

 smaller. Wing 263-275 (H.). 



Resident. — Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Palma (W. Canary Islands). 



Asio flammeus flammeus Pontoppidan. Short-eared 

 Owl. F7\ Chouette de marais ; Ger. Sumpfohreule ; Ital. Gufo 

 di padule ; Sived. Gorduggla. 



^ 9 Above brown with broad rufous margins but no bars ; 

 ear tufts very short ; quills rufous with' dark brown bars ; 

 beneath white or reddish buff streaked black (broadly on chest) ; 



