all 
' 68 ORNITHOLOGY AND OOLOGY. 
OTUS, Cuvier. 
Otus, Cuvier, Régne Animal, I. 827 (1817). 
General form longer and more slender than in the preceding genera; head mod- 
erate; ear-tufts long, erectile; bill rather short, curved from the base; facial disc 
more perfect than in the preceding; wings long; tail moderate; tarsi and toes cov- 
ered with short feathers; claws long, curved; eyes rather small, and surrounded by 
radiating feathers. 
This genus contains ten or twelve species of various countries, all of which are 
more handsome birds than are usually met with in this family. 
OTUS WILSONIANUS. — Lesson. 
. The Long-eared Owl. 
Otus Wilsonianus, Lesson. ‘Traite d’Orn., I. 110 (1831). 
Otus Americanus, Bonaparte. Comp. List, 7 (1838). Syn., 37. 
Stria otus, Wilson. Bonaparte’s edition, 449. 
Strix otus, Linneeus. Aud. Orn. Biog., IV. 572. Nuttall, I. 130. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Ear-tufts long and conspicuous; eyes rather small; wings long; tarsi and toes 
densely feathered; upper parts mottled with brownish-black, fulvyous, and ashy- 
white, the former predominating; breast pale-fulvous, with longitudinal stripes of 
brownish-black; abdomen white; every feather with a wide longitudinal stripe, and 
with transverse stripes of brownish-black; legs and toes pale-fulvous, usually 
unspotted, but frequently with irregular narrow transverse stripes of dark-brown; 
eye nearly encircled with black; other feathérs of the face ashy-white, with minute 
lines of black; ear-tufts brownish-black edged with fulvous and ashy-white; quills 
pale-fulvous at their bases, with irregular transverse bands of brown; inferior 
coverts of the wing pale-fulvous, frequently nearly white; the larger widely tipped 
with black; tail brown, with several irregular transverse bands of ashy-fulvous, 
which are mottled, as on the quills; bill and claws dark horn-color; irides yellow. 
Total length, female, about fifteen inches; wing, eleven to eleven and a half; tail, 
six inches. Male rather smaller. 
This species is rather common in New England, rather 
preferring the less settled districts to the others. It is 
eminently nocturnal in its habits, and has the power of see- 
ing in the daytime to a less degree ‘than any of the other 
species with which I am acquainted. 
A specimen that I once had, as a pet, could not see my 
hand as it approached him, and would permit my finger to 
touch his eye before he drew over it the thin nictitating 
membrane given to all birds to protect this delicate organ. 
I do not remember of ever hearing this owl utter a cry 
