146 THE TAWNY OWL 
into the channel for conveying sound is, in the right ear, placed 
beneath the transverse fold, and directed upwards, while in the Jeft 
ear the same opening is placed above the channel for conveying 
sound, and is directed downwards. 
In the severe weather of January, 1861, I had the gratification 
of seeing three or four of these Owls among the sand-hills of the coast 
of Norfolk, near Holkham. I imagined them to be in pursuit of 
the Redwings and other small birds which had been driven by the 
intense cold to the sea-coast, since they flew about as Hawks do 
when hunting for prey, and occasionally alighted among the sand- 
hills. I even fell in with several heaps of feathers, showing where 
some unhappy bird had been picked and eaten. A few days after- 
wards, however, I inquired at another part of the coast whether 
there were any Owls there, and received for an answer, ‘ No, be- 
cause there are no Rabbits ’ ; from which I inferred that these birds 
have the reputation of hunting larger game than Thrushes, a charge 
which the size and power of their hooked talons seem to justify. 
THE TAWNY OWL 
SYRNIUM ALUCO 
Beak greyish yellow ; irides bluish dusky ; upper parts reddish brown, vari- 
ously marked and spotted with dark brown, black, and grey ; large white 
spots on the scapulars and wing coverts; primaries and tail feathers 
barred alternately with dark and reddish brown ; lower parts reddish 
white, with transverse brown bars and longitudinal dusky streaks ; legs 
feathered to the claws. Length sixteen inches; breadth three feet. 
Eggs dull white. 
Tuts bird, the Ulula of the ancients, took its name from the Latin 
ululare; the word used to denote, and partially to imitate, the 
cry of the wolf; it enjoys also the doubtful honour of giving name 
to the whole tribe of ‘Owls’, whether they howl, hoot, or screech. 
This species is much more common than the Barn Owl in many 
districts, although it is decreasing in others. Owing to its nocturnal 
habits, and dusky colour, it is not so often seen as heard. It has 
many a time been my amusement to repair, towards the close of 
a summer evening, toa wood which I knew to be the resort of these 
birds, and to challenge them to an exchange of greetings, and I 
rarely failed to succeed. Their note may be imitated so exactly 
as to deceive even the birds themselves, by forming a hollow with 
the fingers and palms of the two hands, leaving an opening only 
between the second joints of the two thumbs, and then by blowing 
with considerable force down upon the opening thus made, so as 
to produce the sound hoo-hoo-hoo-o-o-o. I have thus induced a 
bird to follow me for some distance, echoing my defiance or greet- 
