THE EAGLE-OWL. 79 



Bilbo ?naxl?nus, Fleming ; Macg. Br. B. iii. p. 428 (1840) ; Secb. 

 Br. B. i. p. 187 (18S3); Lilford, Col. Fig. Br. B. part xi. 

 (1889). 



Adult Male. — Of large size. Blackish above, mottled and 

 freckled with yellowish-buff or tawny markings; ear-tufts, 3^ 

 inches in length, black, with tawny markings on the inner ones ; 

 nape and hind-neck lighter than the rest of the upper surface, 

 tawny-buff, with broad black centres and narrow black cross- 

 lines ; scapulars externally whitish or pale tawny, with a few 

 black cross-lines ; quills dark brown, barred with tawny-buff, 

 the bars freckled with black, the inner webs for the most part 

 tawny, with irregular black markings ; centre tail-feathers 

 blackish, with buff vermiculations, the rest more or less dis- 

 tinctly barred with tawny-buff, the inner webs bright tawny, 

 with irregular blackish mottlings, more distinct towards the 

 ends of the feathers ; lores and region of the eye whitish ; 

 sides of neck like the hind-neck ; chin and fore-neck white, 

 separated from each other by a band of tawny, black-centred 

 feathers; crop tawny-buff; centre of breast white; rest of 

 under surface tawny-buff, the chest-feathers streaked with 

 black and spotted or barred with irregular lines of black; 

 bill blackish horn-colour ; iris orange. Total length, 26 inches; 

 wing, i8"6; tail, 11*2; tarsus, 3'2. 



Adult Female. — Similar to the male, but larger. Wing, 18*2 

 inches. 



Nestling. — Covered with down of a dull white colour. 



Range in Great Britain. — Of rare and accidental occurrence. 

 Many of the records doubtless refer to specimens escaped 

 from confinement, as the bird is often kept in aviaries, and not 

 unfrequently breeds in captivity. It is, therefore, difficult ta 

 determine whether the Eagle-Owls which have from time to 

 time been recorded, have actually wandered to Great Britain, 

 or have been escaped individuals. Some undoubtedly wild 

 birds have, however, been taken in the Orkneys and Shetland 

 Isles, on the mainland of Scotland, and in some parts of Eng- 

 land ; so that there can be no doubt that the bird occasionally 

 visits us from the Continent. The statement of its occurrence 

 in Ireland is untrustworthy, as the specimen recorded by Dr. 



