406 CORACIIFORMES CHAP. 
S. nebulosum of eastern and 8. occidentale of southern North America 
extend to Mexico; whence S. virgatum, S. perspicillatum, S. albi- 
gulare and other species range to the middle of South America. — S. 
rufipes is a native of Chil and Patagonia. Finally, S. nuchale 
inhabits Western, S. woodfordi Southern and North-Eastern Africa. 
Asio otus, the Long-eared Owl, is buff, streaked, mottled and 
vermiculated with brown and grey, especially on the upper parts, 
which appear almost brown. The buff facial discs are complete ; 
the feathering of the legs extends more or less over the toes; the 
two long head-tufts are erectile. It occurs throughout Europe, 
in Asia ordinarily north of the Himalayas, in China, Japan, 
the Atlantic Islands, and North Africa, being replaced in 
America southwards to Mexico by the sub-species A. americanus 
(wilsonianus). A. accipitrinus, the Short-eared Owl, one of the 
most widely distributed of birds, inhabits or visits nearly the 
whole globe (p. 400). It is lighter and less streaky than the last 
form, with much shorter tufts. 4A. mexicanus, ranging from 
Mexico to Brazil, A. madagascariensis, pecuhar to Madagascar, 
A. capensis of that island and most of Africa, which strays to 
Spain and Arabia, 4. stygius, found from Mexico and Cuba to 
Brazil, and its Jamaican representative, A. grammicus, complete the 
genus. The last three have comparatively bare toes. The Long- 
eared Owl resembles the Wood-Owl in general habits, and even, it is 
said, breeds at times upon the earth ; but it almost invariably relines 
deserted habitations of other birds or of squirrels with a scanty 
supply of twigs, grass, fur, down, or feathers, and lays from four to 
six oval eggs from the end of February onwards. Pies’ nests are 
in great request, especially those of the preceding season. This 
somewhat silent species utters a single hoot, or else a mewing 
cry, often erroneously attributed to the young alone; the parents 
sit on the tops of trees when the nursery is disturbed, and 
click their beaks, just as the nestlings do. The Short-eared 
or Marsh-Owl makes a nest of the surrounding substances, with a 
few feathers, among heather, sedge, or marshy herbage, sometimes 
sheltered by some tussock or bush, and normally deposits from four 
to eight eges; but during the vole plague on the Scottish Borders 
in 1890-92, when these birds abounded, they produced as many 
as thirteen each. In Unalashka a similar structure is made in 
holes in banks. Should the sitting parent be disturbed, it 
commonly utters a harsh scream, and hovers or circles around 
