252 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



flying to and fro over my head smacked their wings 

 together over and under their bodies, and alight- 

 ing under a group of stunted firs, squealed like 

 young rabbits in the throes of death, or mewed 

 like cats in order to attract my attention. Local 

 and other names, none. Sits very closely. 



YOUNG LONG-EARED OWLS. 



OWL, SHORT-EARED. 



(Asio accibitrinus.) 

 Order STRIGES ; Family STRIGID^: (OWLS). 



Description of Parent Birds. Length about 

 fifteen inches. Beak short, much curved, and 

 blackish. Irides yellow. The radiating circle of 

 feathers round each eye black in the centre, and 

 lighter on the outer edges, mixed with reddish- 

 brown, black, and white, especially the last-named 

 colour, round the bill. On the top of the head 

 are two tufts of feathers about three-quarters of 

 an inch long, which the bird can erect or depress 

 at pleasure. These are blackish on the outer 



