SCOPS OWL. LITTLE OWL. II7 



Genus— SCOPS. 

 SCOPS GIU— Scops Owl. 



Headed like Owles, with beekes uncomely bent. 



Spenser — Faerie Queen. 



This small tufted Owl has only once been met with in 

 Herefordshire so far as is known. A pair of these birds, says 

 Rev. Clement Ley, were liberated at Fawley about the year 1862, 

 by Mr. J. Skyrme, of Ross, but nothing more was heard of them. 



The cry of the Scops Owl is melancholy and monotonous 

 — " Kew, kew, kew," repeated at intervals as regular as the ticking 

 of a clock, and as Httle melodious as the croak of a frog. 



[Scops asio — American Screech Owl] 

 One was shot at Kirkstall Abbey, in Yorkshire, in 1852. 



[Genus — Bubo.] 

 [Bubo ignavus — Eagle Owl] 

 An occasional visitant to Great Britain. 



Genus— ATHENE. 



ATHENE NOCTUA— Little Owl. 



[Carine noctna — Yarrell?\^ 



What care though Owl did fly 

 About the great Athenian Admiral's mast. 



Keats — Endymion. 



Shy as the Athenian-bird, she shuns the day. 



ARMSTRONft— TAe Day. 



Our worth the Grecian sages knew ; 

 They gave our sires the honour due, 

 They weigh'd the dignity of fowls, 

 And pry'd into the depth of Owls : 

 Athens, the seat of learned fame. 

 With general voice rever'd our name: 

 On merit, title was conferr'd. 

 And all ador'd the Athenian bird. 



