THE OWLS 



by the toes being so thickly feathered that even their last joints are concealed. It 

 has a black beak and bright orange iris, while the plumage is a beautiful blending 

 of various shades of brown. The ear tufts include a few dark feathers, with light 

 bars on the inner webs; the hind -neck and back are mottled dark and reddish brown, 

 with the dark tint occupying the middle of the feathers, and the same colors, but 

 arranged in transverse bars, occupy the primary quills and tail feathers. On the 



^ ^ r ^>7 7 ^/^UM-""" 



EAGLE OWL. 

 (One-fourth natural size.) 



face disc the feathers are light brown with grayish-black speckles, while the breast 

 is pale brown, with longitudinal streaks of darker brown, and the remainder of the 

 under parts are shades of brown banded with darker bars. 



The great eagle owl inhabits the greater part of Europe and Northern Asia, the 

 Central- Asian form (B. turcomanus) being paler than ordinary. In Asia it extends 

 as far south as the Pangong lake and the Himalayas, and it has also been obtained 



