_—_—— 
EEC T AG 
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THB ots Be i EG 
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Long-Eared Owl.—Upper parts buff, mottled with brown of various shades; ear 
tufts large and composed of black feathers edged with buff; the under parts are of 
a lighter buff, with broad streaks of deep brown and faint transverse bars of paler 
brown ; beak and claws dark horn colour ; irides rich orange yellow. Tip of beak 
to tip of tail, 14; wing closed, 114; tail, 5%; body, 73. 
Short-Eared Owl.—General colour dark buff; wings and tail barred with dark 
brown, the rest of the plumage, except thighs and under tail coverts, streaked and 
blotched with blackish brown ; irides bright yellow. Tip of beak to tip of tail, 15 ; 
wing closed, 12; tail, 53; body, 8¢. 
III. Where, when, and in what Numbers found. 
Barn or White Owl.—England, Scotland, Ireland. Constant resident throughout 
the year. Formerly common, but now rare in many places. 
Tawny or Wood Owl.—England, Scotland, Ireland, in densely wooded districts 
Constant resident. Incessant persecution is slowly producing its extermination. 
Long-Eared Owl.—England, Scotland, Iveland, in woodland districts, and in fir 
plantations. Is a partial migrant. If not erroneously regarded as vermin, and 
destroyed accordingly, might become fairly common. 
Short-Eared Owl.—England, Scotland, Ireland, on moorlands and marshes. <A 
regular winter visitor—generally a migratory bird, but resident in some parts of 
Scotland. More common in the fen districts and northern counties than elsewhere. 
IV. Food. 
Barn Owl.—Bats, small birds, dormice, mice, voles, rats, shrews, water rats. 
Tawny or Wood Owl.—Beetles, small birds, cockchafers, mice, voles, rats, 
shrews, water rats, occasionally a young game-bird or rabbit. Any misdeeds are 
small in comparison with the good practical work done by this bird. 
Long-Eared Owl.—Mice, rats, small birds, voles. 
Short-Eared Owl.—Mice, rats, shrews, voles, occasionally birds and beetles. ; 
An examination of pellets from the barn, tawny, and long-eared owls yielded the 
following remarkable results :— 
REMAINS FOUND. 
No. of pellets 
SEES Bats. Rats. Mice. Voles. | Shrews. | Moles. | Beetles. Small 
| 
Barn Owl ... .... 706 16 Wye 237 693 | 1590 0 0 22 (a) 
Tawny Owl... a 210 O 6 42 269 33 48 48 (c) 18 (4) 
Long-eared Owl... 25 0 0 6 35 0 0% «070 2 
(a) Nineteen sparrows, a greenfinch, and two swifts. 
peta comic caucnerchees, (eee tak na 
Y. Characteristics. 
Owls have the peculiar habit of ejecting pellets from the mouth containing the 
indigestible remains of the food they have swallowed. They are able to see in 
the night-time, and possess a noiseless flight, necessary on account of the keen 
sense of hearing possessed by their prey, viz., mice and rats, ete. 
The Barn Owl’s usual note is a screech, and at times a snore. 
The Tawny Owl is a dull and sombre bird, seeking seclusion in its gloomy forest 
haunt. It utters a clear and loud hoot. 
