56 BIRDS. ACCIPITRES. Otus. 



dusky bars. Tail with the two middle feathers dusky brown, others of an 

 ash colour. The female has the head feiTuginous, the nape with a patch of 

 white, the remainder of the upper parts of the body, including the quiUs, 

 dark cliocolate brown, with fen-uginous margins. Lower part of the rump 

 and tail covers white. Beneath, the plumage is uniformly ferruginous. 

 Breeds among furze. E^2:gs 4, white. Young like the female. Montagu 

 supposes that Pennant referred to this species in his variety of the Rmg-Tm, 

 with the colour of the belly entirely plain, (Brit. ZooL i. 195.) Feeds on 

 larks. Has probably been confounded with the Circus cyaneus, from which, 

 however, it diSei's obviously in the superior length of the wings. 



It is probable, that the species of this group are more numerous than they 

 are here represented to be. But the descriptions which exist in several Bri- 

 tish works being occupied almost exclusively with colour, render the deter- 

 mination of the species in some cases impi-acticable. The migi-ation of bii-ds 

 of this kind is still involved in obscurity ; hence, with reference to the rarer 

 species, the season in which they have been observed should be carefullv 

 noted, as furnishmg an essential element in tlie determination of their physi- 

 cal distribution. 



II. NOCTURNAL RAPACIOUS BIRDS. 



Gen. XIV. OTUS. Horn-Owl— Tarsi and Toes closely 

 feathered. The second quil-feather longest. 



27. O. vulgaris. Long Horn-Owl. — Horns consisting of from 

 six to ten feathers. 



Otus sive Noctua aurita. Will. Om. 64. Silh. Scot. 15 — Long-eared 



Owl, Perm. Brit. Zool. i. 203 — Strix Otus, Temm. Orn. i. 102 — 



IV, DyUuan gorniog. — Frequents extensive woods. 



Length 14^, breadth 40 inches ; weight 10 ounces. Bill and claws black, 



iiides reddish. Plumage, above yellowish-brown, with dusky streaks, and 



freckled with grey and wliite ; beneath, dull yellow, ^vith oblong brown spots. 



Horns about an inch long, of black feathers, with the margins brown and 



white. WiEoughby and Alontagu state the number of feathers at C, Tem- 



minck at 10. Hhe female has a white throat, the whole plumage tinged with 



greyish-white. Breeds in evergreen trees or old nests of crows. Eggs 4 or 



6, of a white colour. The young are of a whitish-red, with transverse black 



lines. Tail and wings grey, with brown points. Feeds on mice and small 



birds, at night. Does not migrate. 



28. O. hracliyotm. Short Horn-Owl. — Horns of three fea- 

 thers. 



Short-eared Owl, Penn. Brit. Zool. i. 204.— Strix brachyotus, Tcmm. 

 Orn. i. 99 — E., Mouse-hawk, Woodcock-owl, Hawk-owl ;' W., Dylluan 



glustiog — Breeds in Orkney A winter visitant in other districts. 



Length 14, breadth 37 inches ; weight 14^ ounces. Bill and claws black j 

 irides yeUow. The plumage, above, is dusky, with pale ferruginous edges : 

 beneath, yellow on the upper part, white on the belly, with long dusky stripes. 

 Quills 25. The two first pointed, the rest rounded. Inner web of the first 

 and second, and outer web of the second, abbreviated near the tip. Tail, with 

 brown and yeUow bars. Female higher coloured. M. Cuvier (Regno Ani- 

 mal, i. 328.), states, that the females are destitute of horns. Bewick (British 

 Birds, 1. 49.), on the contrary, says, " Of several of these birds, both male 

 and female, which we have been favoured with by our friends, we have ob- 

 served that both had the upright tufts or ears." Breeds in heaths. Mr Low, 

 H'ho obssrvcd the nest in Hov (Faun. Ore 42.), fo\uid two young ones. 



