LONG-EARED OWL. 97 



■wings, crossed with six or seven narrow bars of brown, and variegated 

 or marbled with brown and tawny ; whole upper parts finely pencilled 

 with dusky, on a tawny and whitish ground ; chin pure white, under 

 that a band of brown, succeeded by another narrow one of white ; eyes 

 very large. 



The female is full two feet in length, and has not the white on the 

 throat so pure. She has also less of the bright ferruginous or tawny 

 tint below ; but is principally distinguished by her superior magnitude. 



Species VIII. STRIX OTUS. 



LONG-EARED OWL. 



[Plate LI. Fig. 3, Female.] 

 Gmel. Syst. I., p. 288. — Bewick, i., p. 84.* 



This Owl is common to both continents, and is much more numerous 

 in Pennsylvania than the White, or Barn Owl : six or seven were found 

 in a single tree, about fifteen miles from this city. There is little doubt 

 but this species is found inhabiting America to a high latitude ; though 

 we have no certain accounts of the fact. Except in size, this species 

 has more resemblance to the Great Horned Owl than any other of its 

 tribe. It resembles it also in breeding among the branches of tall 

 trees ; lays four eggs of nearly a round form, and pure white. f The 

 young are grayish white until nearly full grown, and roost during the 

 day close together on a limb, among the thickest of the foliage. This 

 Owl is frequently seen abroad during the day, but is not remarkable for 

 its voice or habits. 



The Long-eared Owl is fourteen inches and a half long, and three 

 feet two inches in extent ; ears large, composed of six feathers, gradu- 

 ally lengthening from the front one backwards, black, edged with rusty 

 yellow ; irides vivid yellow ; inside of the circle of the face white, 

 outside or cheeks rusty ; at the internal angle of the eye a streak of 

 black ; bill blackish horn color ; forehead and crown deep brown, 

 speckled with minute "^poiuts of white and pale rusty; outside circle of 

 the face black, finely marked with small curving spots of white ; back 

 and wings dark brown, sprinkled and spotted with white, pale ferru- 

 ginous and dusky ; primaries barred with brownish yellow and dusky, 



* We add the following synonymes : Strix oius, Linn. S>/si. i., p. 92, No. 4, ed. 

 10.— BnFp. PL Knl. 29.— Lath. Gen. Syn. i., p. 121, Ind. Orn. p. 55. 



t Buffon remarks, that it rarely constructs a nest of its own ; but not unfre- 

 quently occupies that of others, particularly the Magpie. 



Vol I.— 7 



