26 ENGLISH BIRD LIFE 



striking. Standing on the dark branch of a fir tree, 

 with its long, slender form perfectly erect, and 

 watching the intruder with its strangely lustrous 

 eyes, as though it would peer into his innermost 

 thoughts, it becomes eas}- to see why the ancients 

 selected this fowl as the emblem of some occult 

 wisdom. 



Although an inch or two less than the Tawny 

 Owl, its straight, compact figure gives the impres- 

 sion of greater length, and this effect is heightened 

 by the horn-like tufts upon its head, composed of 

 seven or eight feathers an inch and a half in length, 

 which the bird can raise and depress at will. The 

 young have tufts of down where the ears appear, 

 which fall away when the true feathers begin to 

 grow. This Owl is with difficulty driven to desert 

 its breeding site. If the first clutch of eggs be 

 taken, it will usually la}- a second, and even a 

 third, at intervals of about three weeks. In the 

 pairing season, the male bird has a curious habit 

 of paddling with its feet, ruffling its feathers, and 

 cooing after the manner of a pigeon. 



The Long-eared Owl does not hoot and is usually 

 silent, save for a short, snapping sound, which is 

 also uttered when the bird is on the wing. Strictly 

 nocturnal, it spends the day in deep woods, espe- 

 cially in fir-woods. In suitable localities, where 

 deserted nests are easily found, many pairs may be 

 discovered nesting in close proximity. 



The Short-eared Owl is mainly migratory. Large 

 numbers visit these islands in October, availing 

 themselves, it would appear, of the same atmo- 



