EAGLE-OWT,. 169 



Following the arrangement of the Family of Owls pre- 

 viously projected (page 149) the second subdivision of the 

 first chief group of species is now reached — that in which there 

 is no operculum or fold of skin overlying the orifice of the 

 ears. Like the preceding subdivision, this includes as well 

 species which possess as those which do not possess the 

 superficial character of "horns," and, for the sake of con- 

 venience those which are so adorned are here taken first. 



The Eagle-Owl is one of the largest species of the family, 

 and inhabits pretty generally the northern parts of the Old 

 World ; but it must be considered a rare bird in England, 

 an example occurring only occasionally, and at uncertain 

 intervals. Its food consists of the larger sorts of game, such 

 as fawns, hares and grouse, and also of mice, rats and moles. 

 Its cry is a sonorous hoot, which has been syllabled by various 

 writers as "coo-hoo," " ugh-ugh " and "boo-boo." 



The nest of this bird is usually on a ledge among rocks, a 

 preference (as is the case with Eagles when occupying a 

 similar site) being shown for a southern aspect, but occa- 

 sionally in a tree, some six feet from the ground ; and also, 

 it is said, on ruined walls. Those seen by Wolley were 

 merely holes scratched in the turf, and had no materials 

 added to the bed thus formed ; the eggs of one taken by 

 one of his collectors lay on the sand against the upturned 

 roots of a tree ; but some writers say that the nest is large, 

 the materials collected being spread over a surface of several 

 square feet. The female is larger than the male, and pro- 

 duces two or three almost globular, white eggs, measuring 

 from 2-48 to 2-18 by 2 to 1-84 in. 



Linnaeus, on his journey to Lapland, found this bird and 

 its nest on one of the higher hills of a district through which 

 he passed. The nest contained an addled egg and two young- 

 birds : these last were of small size, clothed with long whitish 

 down. He subsequently discovered two other young birds 

 of the same species which were nearly full grown, but unable 

 to fly. Among the many graphic contributions on the 

 nidification of birds made by Wolley to the last edition of 

 Mr. Hewitson's oological work, there is scarcely one superior 



VOL, I. '^ 



