182 BRITISH BIB.nS' NESTS. 



OWL, TAWNY. Also Wood Owl. 



Descri]jtion of Parent Birds. — Length about 

 fifteen inches. Beak short, much curved, and horn 

 white. Irides dark brown. The circle surrounding 

 each eye is greyish- white, margined by a hne of 

 dark brown. Head, neck, back, and wings tawny- 

 brown, finely marked with dark brown and black, 

 and mixed with ash-grey. On the wing-coverts 

 and scapulars are two descending lines of large 

 white spots ; the primaries are also barred with 

 dark brown and dull white. Tail, two centre 

 feathers uniform tawn}^ brown, rest barred with 

 tawny and dusk}^ brown. Breast, belly, and under- 

 parts greyish- white, streaked and mottled with two 

 shades of brown. Under-coverts of tail white. Legs 

 and toes covered w'ith greyish-wdhte feathers ; claws 

 large, much hooked, and horn white, with black tips. 



The adult female is similar in plumage, but 

 somewhat larger in size. 



Situation and Localitij. — The favourite nesting 

 site is in a hole of a hollow tree, although the 

 bird sometimes uses clefts of rock, holes in the 

 walls of stables and barns, deserted nests of Rooks, 

 Magpies, Crows, and Hawks ; also rabbit-burrows. 

 This Owl is a lover of woods, forests, and parks, 

 and is pretty generally scattered over England, 

 Wales, and the South of Scotland ; rarer in the 

 north, and almost absent from Ireland. I have 

 met with it most numerously in Cumberland. 



Materials. — None, the eggs being laid on decayed 

 wood or the bird's own " castings." 



Eggs. — Three to four. Pure white, smooth, and 

 round. Size about 1'8 by 1*52 in. Distinguishing 

 features, the round shape and large size. 



