HORNLESS OWLS. 5 53 
when on the surface with remarkable dexterity. Bats and large 
insects also are its prey. 
It is difficult to kill or catch the Scops, although they travel in 
numerous companies, for they do not begin their journey until the 
evening, a short time before night closes in, and secrete themselves 
in the woods during the day. When they find a place favourable to 
their habits of life, such as a plain intersected by marshes and small 
woods, there they remain for two or three days. In the evening 
they have a strange habit of following people passing through their 
haunts. Sometimes they precede them, hopping from tree to tree, 
and uttering low plaintive cries, frequently fluttering round almost 
sufficiently close to touch them. ‘The Scops is easily tamed, and 
becomes very familiar, it is consequently in much request in Savoy 
for the purpose of bird-catching. It perfectly recognises the voice of 
whoever feeds it, and, although at liberty, will not abandon the house 
of its master, except when the season of migration arrives, when it 
would be useless to attempt to detain it; kindness and caresses are 
then all in vain. So, unless the precaution of shutting it up be 
taken, it rejoins its companions, and accompanies them, perhaps to 
Africa or Asia. 
There is a variety of this bir], named Scofs asio, which is found 
on the shores of the Ohio and Mississippi, in North America. It is 
very gentle, and allows itself to be caressed when taken without 
attempting to bite or scratch. Audubon relates that he carried one 
of these birds from New York to Philadelphia; he kept it in his 
pocket during the whole journey, accustomed it to eat out of his 
hand, and it never attempted to escape. 
Several other species of Horned Owls are scattered over the two 
continents. The most interesting is the exotic species called Cho/iba, 
which the inhabitants of Brazil ae Paraguay rear in their dwellings 
to destroy rats and mice. 
HorNLESS OWLS. 
The family of Hornless Owls is distinguished from the horned group 
by the absence of projecting feathers on their heads. Many species 
are comprehended in this family, the principal! of which are the Little 
or Sparrow Owls, burrowing Owls, Brown or Tawny Owl, White Barn 
- or Screech Owls, Hawk or Canada Owls, Ural Owls, and Snow Owls. 
Sparrow Owls are of small size; their facial disc is incomplete ; 
the tarsi are elongated ; the claws bare or slighty hairy ; their tails 
short and square. There are numerous varieties, of which we shall 
only notice the principal. 
v * 
