THE HAWK-OWLS. 89 



Habits. — The name of " Hawk "-Owl is very well applied to 

 this species, as in many of its ways it is more like a Hawk 

 than an Owl, and has even a Hawk-like note. It pursues its 

 prey in the daylight, and is a fierce and daring bird, often 

 attacking a man in defence of its nest. Like the Snowy Owl 

 it feeds largely on Lemmings, and follows the migrations of 

 this small rodent. It will also devour mice, and even larger 

 game, such as the Willow-Grouse, but likewise eats insects. 



Nest. — None ; the eggs being laid in the hole of a tree, on 

 the chips of the wood at the bottom of the nest-hole. This 

 Owl will also take possession of nesting-boxes placed for Ducks 

 to breed in. 



Eggs. — From live to eight in number ; white, and somewhat 

 smooth and glossy. They are laid at different intervals, as 

 with the Snowy Owl, and incubation lasts from about the 

 middle of April to the middle of June. Axis, i'5-i*65; diam., 



1-25. 



II. THE AMERICAN HAWK-OWL. SURNIA FUNEREA. 



Strix funerea^ Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 133 (1766). 



Syrnia fwierea^ Macgill. Brit. B. iii. p. 404 (1840). 



Surnia funerea^ Newt. ed. Yarr. Brit. B. i. p. 183 (1872); 



Dresser, B. Eur. v. p. 309, pi. 312 (1872); Sharpe, Cat. 



B. Brit. Mus. ii. p. 131 (1875); B. O. U. List Brit. B. 



p. 88 (1883); Seeb. Br. B. i. p. 183 (1883); Saunders, 



Man. Brit. B. p. 295 (1889). 



Adult Male. — Similar to S. ulula^ but having the bars on the 

 under surface of the body broader and more of a vinous-brown 

 or rufous colour ; bill yellow ; iris bright yellow. Total length, 

 15 inches ; wing, 9-5 ; tail, 8*0. 



Adult Female. — Similar to the male in colour, and of about 

 the same size. Total length, 14 inches; wing, 9-2. 



Range in the British Islands. — Four instances of the occurrence 

 of this American species in the British Islands are authentic : 

 one in Cornwall, in March, 1830; another near Yatton in 

 Somersetshire, in August, 1847 ; one near Glasgow, in Decem- 

 ber, 1863; and a fourth near Greenock, in November, 1868. 

 The two other occurrences of Hawk-Owls have already been 

 referred to as belonging to the European form. 



