SHORT-EARED OWL. 



.1 OCIPITRES. 



163 



STRIOID^F.. 



Asio ACCiPiTRiNus (Pallas*). 

 THE SHORT-EAKED OWL. 



Otns hrachyotos\. 



The Short-eared Owl is not only pretty numerous as a 

 species, but is also very widely diffused. Unlike the species 

 last described, which haunts woods, this bird frequents wide 

 open fields, extensive heaths, moors and fens, seldom perching 

 upon trees but resting on the ground. A large proportion of 

 the examples seen in this country are winter-visitors that 

 come from the North of Europe in October, and have in con- 

 sequence been called Woodcock-Owls. There are few sports- 

 men who, when Partridge-shooting, have not met with this 

 Owl, occasionally in companies of from half-a-dozen to a 



* Stryx accipitrina, Pallas, Reisen u.s.w. i. p. 455 (1771). 



t Strix brachj/otos, J. R. Forster, Phil. Trans. Ixii. p. 384 (1772). 



