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upper surface of the body is pale brown, diversified on the neck 
and shoulders by longitudinal streaks of black-brown ; the upper 
surface of the wings is variously splashed with black, fawn and 
brown. The under surface of the body is greyish-white, intermixed 
with fawn and various longitudinal brown streaks. The facial disc 
is very conspicuous and complete, aud seems to consist of two 
parts ; the inner feathers almost completely hide the beak, whilst 
the outer part is a complete circle of yellowish-brown. The 
tufts are formed of from seven to eight or twelve feathers, 
an inch and a half or more in length, the hind ones being the 
shortest. The wings when closed reach a little beyond the end 
of the tail, and expand to the width of from three feet to three 
feet two inches, in the female a little longer. The eyes are of 
great brilliancy. They seldom build a nest of their own, but 
use that of some other bird or even a squirrel’s. This Owl is not 
only a nocturnal, but occasionally, and even in bright sunshine, a 
diurnal feeder. It is very rapacious, and takes its prey as if it 
were a Hawk rather than an Owl. Its food consists of leverets, 
rabbits, rats, mice, moles, small birds, beetles, and other insects. 
Mr. Thompson, of Belfast, kept this species and the Short-eared 
Owl instead of cats, and found them more effective as destroyers of 
rats and mice. They were, he says, “very fond of having their 
ears rubbed.” 
The Scops-eared Owl is a native of the temperate parts of each 
of the four quarters of the globe. In Europe it occurs plentifully 
in France, Italy, Germany, Austria, and other countries. In 
England it is rare. It has been shot in Yorkshire, Sussex, 
Buckinghamshire, Scilly, near London, Worcestershire, Essex, 
&c. It is said to have bred in Durham and Sutherlandshire. 
The length of this tiny Owl is only seven and a half inches. 
The head is light brown, marked with several narrow brown 
streaks ; the back is variegated brown and chestnut, marked with 
dark bands and grey mottlings. The under portions of the 
body are greyish-white, with several streaks and dashes of dark 
brown. The tufts have from six, or eight, to twelve feathers, 
