THE SHOET-EAEED OWL. 



OTUS BRACHYOTUS. 



Face whitish ; beak black ; iris yellow ; egrets inconspicuous, of a few black 

 feathers ; eyes encircled by brownish black ; upper plumage dusky brown, 

 edged with yellow ; lower pale orange, streaked with brown. Length six- 

 teen inches ; breadth thirty-eight. Eggs white. 



From the name, Hawk-owl, sometimes given to this species, 

 we should expect to find this bird not so decidedly noc- 

 turnal in its habits as the preceding; and such is the case; 

 for, though it does not habitually hunt by day, it has been 

 known to catch up chickens from the farmyard, and has 

 been seen in chase of pigeons. If attacked during day- 

 light, it does not evince the powerless dismay of the last 

 species, but effects a masterly retreat by soaring in a spiral 

 direction until it has attained an elevation to which its 

 adversary does not care to follow it. Unlike its allies, it 



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