COMMON SCREECH-OWL. 397 



tinged with grey and tliinly mottled, the latter with 

 faint indications of bars ; the lower parts white. When 

 able to fly, individuals measure about twelve inches in 

 length. 



Progress towards maturity.— The young being 

 already so like the old, very little change takes place 

 as the birds advance in age. 



Remarks. — This species is said by authors to be gene- 

 rally distributed over Europe, excepting the most north- 

 ern countries, and to occur in Asia, New Holland, and 

 North America. The skins which I have seen from the 

 latter country were generally larger than those of in- 

 dividuals killed with us ; and as the barn owl of the 

 United States has the stomach, according to Mr Audu- 

 bon, elongated, and of a deep gamboge-yellow, while its 

 tarsi are proportionally longer, it may ultimately turn 

 out to be a diflferent species. The stomach of ours is 

 not yellow, but pale flesh-coloured, and when distended 

 is circular. 



Whether the barn owl be the most typical bird of 

 the family or not, I leave to those who deal in types 

 and circles to determine. It is a bird no doubt perfect 

 in its adaptation to the circumstances in which it is 

 placed, as is every other. 



This species is known in different parts of the coun- 

 try by the names of Barn Owl, Screech Owl, Hissing 

 Owl, Church Owl, White Owl, Yellow Owl, Howlet, 

 Hoolet, Gilhhowter, Cailleach-oidhche gheal (White 

 night-hag). 



