320 OTUS VULGARIS. 



OTUS VULGARIS. 



Long-eared Owl. 



Olus vulgaris Flem., British Animals; 1828, 60. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sp. Ch. Form, slender. Size, medium. Sternum, not stnut. Tlie marginal indentations are quite deep. Tongue,- 

 ratlier tliick and flashy, horny at the tip which is rounded and slighty bifid. Ear tufts, long. 



Color. Adult. Above, very dark-brown, with tlie feathers edged, mottled, spotted, and barred with yellowish- 

 rufous, and ashy-white. Rump, wholly yellowish-rufms, barred with dusky. Wings, dark-lirown, barred with yellowish- 

 rufous, which becomes lighter on the inner webs and nearly white, below. Tail, also very dark-brown, widely barred witli 

 yellowish-rufous which becomes nearly white on the lower side. Beneath, including under wing and tail coverts, tibia, 

 and tai-su-4, yellowish-white, broadly streaked with dark-brown on the body. There is a prominent spot of dark-brown on 

 the under wing coverts near the outer edge. The face is white mixed with dusky, and a ring of dark-brown entirely sur- 

 rounds the eye. 



Young. Shiiilar to the adult Imt sliow mucl'. more rufous on the u])per surface while the same color predominates on 

 the lower portions. 



Nestlings. Arc at first covered with a yellow down and, in time, gradually assume the second i^lumage. Iris, yellow, 

 cere, greenish, l)ill and claws, dark-brown, in all stages. Sexes, similar in color. 



OBSERVATIONS. 

 Specimens of the same age and sex are usually quite uniform in color, for Owls. This handsome Owl is readily known 

 from the pi-cceding species by the long ear tufts and dark tints, and from all others by the long wings, comliined with the 

 colors as described. Distributed, as a constant resident, throughout the entire extent of North America, and Is also found 

 in the Old World. 



DI5IENSI0NS. 



Average measurements of male specimens. Length, 14"50; stretch, 3!J'50; wing, 1'2'70; tail, fi'OO; bill, 'SS; tai-sus, 

 100. bmgest sijecimen, 15-00; greatest extent of wing, 41-00; longest wing, 13-00; tail, ti-20; bill, l-QO; taisus, 1-75. 

 Shortest specimen, 14-00; smallest extent of wing, 37-00; shortest wing, 11-80; tail, 5-80; bill, -70; tarsus, 1-50. 



Average measurements of female specimens. Length, 14-75; stretch, 40-00; wing, 13-00; tail, 6-30; bill, -90; tai-sus, 

 1-80. Longest specimen, 15-50; greatest extent of wing, 42-00; longest wing, 13-50: tail, 0-60; bill, I-IO; tarsus, 1-90. 

 • Shortest specimen, 11-25; smallast extent of wing, 39-00; shortest wing, 12-.50; tail, 6-00; bill, -80; tarsus, 1-70. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Nests, not very liulky structures, placed either on the ground, in low bushes, or in trees. They .arc composed of sticks, 

 twigs, .grass, etc., lined witli gra.ss and leaves, or occasionally remodeled on the ne«ts of other birds. 



Eggs, four m five in number, quite elliptical in form, white in color, with the surface very .smooth. Dimensions from 

 1-30x1-40 to l-lOx 1-65. 



HABI'L'S. 



Although closely allied to the Short-eared Owls in many respects, the birds now in 

 land, dilfer widely from them in habits. As already shown in the preceding page, the 

 Short-eared prefer the open country but the Long-eared Owls are almost exclusively in- 

 habitants of the woods, seldom being found elsewhere; in fact, they rather choose the 

 darkest swamps in whicli to roost by dity but it is probiible that they emerge from these 

 secl'idcd retreats by night in order to hunt mice and small birds which form the greater 

 portion of their food. When surprised in these gloomy retreats, they will seldom start but 

 will merely sit perfectly quiet and gaze at the intrader with half-closed eyes, erect ear 

 tufts, and with the feathers drawn closely to the body, which gives them a most grotesque 

 appearance. When captured, they are very gentle, seldom attempting to bite but will 

 rulllo their feathers, expand their wings, and snap their bills fiercely, after the manner of 

 all Ovvds when annoyeil. 



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