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The Short-eared Owl, sometimes called the Woodcock Owl, is 
a migratory bird, and arrives in this country in October, about 
the same time as the Woodcock. It departs in March. This 
species is remarkable for the small size of the head, which is even 
smaller than the neck. It avoids the shelter of woods, and 
haunts heaths and open lands. It is found in Germany, Holland, 
most parts of Hurope, and North and South America. The 
length of this bird is from fourteen to fifteen inches. Colour— 
the upper surface, together with the head and neck are fawn, 
covered with dark brown patches, the darker tint being placed 
on the centre of each feather, and the same around the edges ; the 
whole of the under surface of the body is light buff, covered with 
longitudinal dashes of dark brown upon the breast, and with a 
few long streaks of the same colour uopn the abdomen. The tufts, 
which are placed near together, are composed of three or four 
feathers, the longest being less than an inchin length. The wings 
are long and broad, and expand to the width of about three feet. 
They feed by day, especially in dull weather. Its food consists of 
mice and birds; but Yarrell mentions that he has discovered in 
the stomach of one the remains of a bat, and a half-grown rat. 
One kept by Montague never drank for six months. It is deemed 
probable that they migrate in flocks, more or less large. On one 
occasion, in Ireland, thirteen or fourteen were seen together. 
They breed in Northumberland, Cumberland, and the northern 
counties, and may be considered, perhaps, permanent residents in 
the Hebrides. The young are often found on the Grouse moors 
in August ; still in the main it is migratory. 
The Long-eared Owl is plentiful in many countries of all the 
four quarters of the globe. In Europe it occurs in Denmark, 
Russia, Sweden, Norway, France, Italy, and in this country it is 
generally distributed, but is nowhere numerous, except in the 
North. It is not a very large bird, being only fourteen or fifteen 
inches in length. The colour of this bird is very handsome, but 
varies very much in the depth and tone of its markings. The 
