408 ULULA OTUS. 



few of the coverts with a brown spot ; the quills band- 

 ed with brown towards the end. Tlie lower tail-co- 

 verts have a naiTow central brown line. Three-fourths 

 of the length of all the feathers from the base are downy, 

 and of a deep bluish-grey colour. 



Length to end of tail 14i inches, to end of wings 

 15^ ; extent of wings 36 ; wing from flexure Hi; tail 

 5f ; bill along the back 1 j^g, along the edge of lower 

 mandible 1/^ ; tarsus H ; hind toe J, its claw /j ; se- 

 cond toe 1, its claw j% ; third toe 1 J, its claw |^|; outer 

 toe f, its claw j\. 



Female. — The female is considerably larger than 

 the male, has the facial disk lighter, and the upper 

 parts, especially the wings, with a greater proportion 

 of greyish-white ; but in other respects is similar in co- 

 louring. 



Length to end of tail 16 inches, to end of wings 17 ; 

 extent of wings 40 ; wing fi-om flexure 1 2 ; tail 5| . 

 bill along the back 1^, along the edge of lower mandi- 

 Ijle 11; tarsus l/g ; hind toe ^"g, its claw j% ; second 

 toe Ij^, its claw l§ ; third toe 1^^, its claw ^^ ; outer 

 toe |, its claw ||. 



Variations This species, in so far as I know, ex- 

 hibits very few remarkable variations. The older the 

 birds are the purer are their tints, and the more tinged 

 with grey are the upper parts. 



Habits The Mottled Tufted-owl is a constant re- 

 sident, and occurs sparingly in most of the wooded 

 parts of England and Scotland. It resides chiefly in 



