SIORT-EARED OWL. 183 
the outer edge; the two or three first have one or two dusky 
bars, the next two or three, and the rest two, three, or four, 
on the outer webs; and all have one irregular bar, or part of 
one, on the inner—the bars are only on the outer half of the 
quills. Secondaries also broad, dusky buff, spotted with dull 
white, forming irregular bars; tertiaries, dusky buff; larger 
and lesser under wing coverts, as the wings; underneath, the 
feathers edged with brown, with a few brown spots. 
Tail, rather short, buff, with four or five broad bands of 
dusky brown on the six middle feathers; the two centre ones 
spotted with dusky on the interstices; the bars on the outer 
feathers are fewer and imperfect, and the yellow on the outside 
feathers is shaded off to whitish; those have only two irregular 
brown bars on the inner webs; the tip yellowish white. Tail 
coverts, yellowish brown, faintly edged with a darker shade; 
under tail coverts, white. Legs, feathered, pale buff, short 
and thick; the third and fourth toes are united at the base 
by a short web; the first is the shortest, and has an extensive 
lateral motion, the third is the longest, the second and fourth 
nearly equal. Toes, the same, the feathers assuming a hairy 
appearance. Claws, much hooked, blackish grey, the middle 
one grooved beneath, with a sharp inner edge. 
Female; length, about one foot four inches ; the breast is 
rather deeper tinted than in the male, and the streaks 
broader. The back is rather lighter than in the male. The 
wings expand to the width of three feet one or two inches. 
