[Case 54. | 
[Case 54. | 
82 BIRD GALLERY. 
(983) are Australian, the former, as its name implies, being the giant of 
the group. 
The Little Owl (Athene noctua) (984), which was probably originally 
imported from Holland, is now a common bird in some parts of the 
British Isles. 
The allied genus of Pigmy Owlets (G/aucidium) contains numerous 
diminutive forms distributed over most regions of the Globe, and 
includes the smallest species of Owls, such as the Collared Pigmy Owlet 
(G. brodiei) (986) from the Himalaya, and the Common Pigmy Owlet 
(G. passerinum) (981) of Northern and Central Europe. Of special in- 
terest is the Burrowing Owl (Speotyto cunicularia) (989) of America, a 
small long-legged species, which lives in large communities in the burrows 
of the Prairie-marmot and other Mammals, and is mainly diurnal in 
habits. 
The genus Nyctala is represented by both its members, Tengmalm’s 
Owl (N. tengmalmi) (990), which inhabits the forests of Northern 
Europe, Siberia, and Arctic America and occasionally visits Great 
Britain, and the Saw-whet Owl (N. acadica) (991) from North America 
and Mexico. 
Next come the Eared-Owls (Asio), including two well-known British 
species, the Long-eared Owl (A. otus) (998), and the Short-eared, 
Marsh- or Woodcock-Owl (A. accipitrinus) (994). The former almost 
always breeds in trees, using deserted nests of crows or squirrels, while 
the latter invariably makes a nest on the ground. During the vole | 
plague on the Scottish Borders in 1890-92 enormous numbers of Short- 
eared Owls made their appearance in the infested districts and remained 
as long as food continued plentiful. 
To the genus Syrnium belong the Tawny, Brown or Wood-Owl 
(S. aluco) (996) of Great Britain, and a number of other species such as 
the Mottled and Ural Wood-Owls, S. ocellatum (996) and S. uralense 
(998), from India and Northern Europe respectively. Of the Tawny 
Owl both the grey and rufous phases of plumage are represented. 
Closely allied to these is the Great Grey Owl (Scotiaptex cinerea) (999), 
the Arctic American representative of the Lapp Owl. The last member 
of this family is the Bay Owl (Photodilus badius) (1000), a peculiar form 
from the Indo-Malayan region, which occupies an intermediate position 
between the Bubonide and the Strigide. 
Family II. Striegipz. Barn-Ow1s. 
The Barn- or Screech-Owls (Striw) representing this family are 
nocturnal in their habits, and, as they feed almost exclusively on small 
rodents, are extremely useful birds and entitled to protection. They are 
2 
