SHORT-EARED OWL. 71 
attempt to attract our attention in order to lure us away from the spot, it 
was difficult to determine. The eggs were extremely conspicuous from 
one side of the heap of rushes when the bird was off the nest; but so long 
as she sat close it might very easily be passed by without notice. Both 
birds were quite silent the whole time. Joshua told us that when the 
nest was first found there were seven eggs in it, but that the man who 
found it had broken one. The eggs were considerably incubated. There 
was not much attempt at a nest, not more than the Peewit makes. The 
ground seemed to be trodden into a hollow, which was lined with a few 
dry broken reeds and sedges. The reeds were lying in a heap on the 
ground ; and in the place selected for the nest the thick cut ends slightly 
overhung the base of the heap and formed some shelter over the nest on 
one side. We found a second nest on the following day containing six 
fresh eggs. It was in a part of the marsh where there were very few reeds, 
the ground being covered with Carex and Juncus. This nest was very 
similar to the one we found on the previous day, and was lined with flat 
leaves of Carex, with a feather or two, and was surrounded with a few 
slender willow bushes. The bird made a harsh scream as she flew up, but 
went right away, and we saw her no more. 
This species lays from four to seven eggs; and has been said, on the 
authority of Hutchins, cited by Richardson in the ‘ Fur-countries of North 
America,’ to lay as many as ten or twelve. In shape they are scarcely 
so round as those of the Tawny Owl, and much smaller, creamy white 
in colour, and possess but little gloss. The eggs may easily be con- 
founded with those of the Long-eared Owl; and certain specimens are 
not easy to distinguish from eggs of the Hawk Owl. They measure from 
1°65 to 15 inch in length, and from 1:31 to 1:2 inch in breadth. 
The Short-eared Owl, like nearly all other Owls and most other Palse- 
arctic birds which have a wide range, is subject to considerable variation 
im colour. Besides the typical plumage there are two “phases” of 
plumage—a light “phase” and a rufous “phase.” The word phase, as 
restricted to the various plumages of the Owls, is a very objectionable 
one. These so-called phases are climatic races of exactly the same cha- 
racter as the climatic races of Tits, Nuthatches, Dippers, or Shrikes, and 
of the same subspecific value. The typical plumage is that of a temperate 
climate with a moderate allowance of rain and sunshine. The so-called 
light “phase” is the Arctic plumage, geographically coexistent with, and 
in all probability produced, either directly or indirectly, by a large allow- 
ance of sunshine anda small supply of rain. In this plumage the buff 
ground-colour of the upper parts and of the lower portions of the under- 
parts is replaced by almost pure white, whilst the brown spots or streaks 
are darker and greyer than in the typical form. This subspecies, con- 
nected with the typical form in intermediate climates by intermediate 
