162 THE LITTLE-HORNED OWL, AND SNOWY OWL. 



gamekeeper was grouse-shooting the other year, near the top of 

 the " Carter," he shot one, in noticing which the press said — 

 " though this bird is not unfrequently met with in Scotland and 

 England, this is the first specimen said to be killed in the 

 neighbourhood of Jedburgh." 



The Scops-Eared Owlet or Little-Horned Owl. 

 (Strix Scops.) Linn. (Scops Aldrovandi.) Will and Ray. 



" There, hooting, I will list more pleased to thee 

 Than ever lover to the nightingale." — Burns. 



This pretty little owl is so very rare in Britain that, perhaps,. 

 I should not have noticed it here, only I wish to tell my 

 readers that — although it is the smallest of all our owls — it is so 

 very like the largest, the great-horned eagle owl, as well as our 

 common long-eared owl, that I could not pass it by without 

 saying it is only 7 J inches long — not so big as a blackbird, but 

 is as anxious and as able to seize a beetle or a moth, or even a 

 shrew mouse, as the eagle owl is to pounce upon a fawn, a 

 rabbit, or a hare. It has all the characteristics of the larger 

 owls. It nestles in the fissures of rocks and holes of trees, and 

 lays four or five roundish white eggs, 1 J by 1 inch, the smallest 

 of the whole. It is very common in Italy, where it is remarked 

 for its plaintive cry of Jcew, Jcew, repeated at intervals of two 

 seconds, all night long ; but, no doubt, 



The hooting of this little owl will please, 



When heard within its own retreat, 

 For even will the soughing of the trees, 



If heard in peace of mind, be sweet. 



The Snowy or Day Owl. 



(Strix Nyctea.) Linn. (Surnia Nyctea.) Dumeril. 



"When owls do fly- 

 On the bat's back I do fly."— Arid, in " The Tempest:' 



Except the great-horned eagle owl, this beautiful owl is the 

 largest found in Britain ; but it does not breed with us, only in 

 the Orkney and Shetland Isles. Its head is six inches across,, 

 including feathers. The facial disc is not complete, and does 



