THE HAWK-OWLS. 87 



at once, but apparently at a considerable interval, so that nest- 

 lings of all sizes, as well as freshly laid eggs, are found in the 

 same nest, the warmth of the more advanced young birds 

 doubdess contributing to the hatching of the more recently 

 laid eggs. 



Eggs. — Six to eight in number, occasionally more ; creamy- 

 white, rather rough in texture, and more elongated than those 

 of the Eagle Owl, which they nearly equal in size. Axis, 2'i^ 

 2'3 inches; diam., i-65-i-8. 



THE HAWK-OWLS. GENUS SURNIA. 



Surnia, Dumeril, Zool. Anal. p. 34 (1800). 



Type, S. uliila (L.). 



The members of the genus Surnia are two in number, one 

 species being found in Europe and Northern Asia, and the 

 other in North America. They are much smaller than the 

 Snowy Owl, which they resemble in their habit of hunting by 

 day, and like that species, the Hawk-Owls have no elongated 

 ear-tufts on the head. The tail, too, is much longer than in 

 the Snowy Owl, being nearly of the same length as the wing, 

 and is wedge shaped, the feathers being graduated. 



I. THE HAWK-OWL. SURNIA ULULA. 



Sirix tilula, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 133 (1766). 



Surnia ulula, Dresser, B. Eur. v. p. 301, pi. 311 (1872); 



Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. ii. p. 129 (1S75) ; B. O. U. 



List Br. B. p. 88 (1883). 

 Surnia funerea, Lilford, Col. Fig. Br. B. part xiii. (1890). 



Adult Male. — General colour above sepia-brown, with bars of 

 white; scapulars externally pure white, forming a longitudinal 

 patch ; crown white, barred with dark brown, the bars broader 

 towards the nape, which is white with a few brown shaft-lines 

 and margins on the feathers ; a large black patch on each side 

 of the neck ; lesser and median wing-coverts like the back, 

 with large oval spots of white; quills ashy brown, with bars 

 of lighter brown, the primaries tipped with white, the second- 

 aries more broadly ; tail ashy brown, with nine narrow bars of 

 dull white, purer white on the inner web ; an indistinct eye- 



