THE SHORT-EARED OWL. 



OTUS BRACHYOTUS. 



ALL sportsmen should be naturalists ; their rambles 

 across country in search of fur and feather give 

 them opportunities for observation which fall to the 

 lot of few besides themselves ; while, by virtue of 

 their " license to kill," they are led to explore sundry 

 out-of-the-way holes and corners, which under other 

 circumstances would be passed by. In this way 

 they unavoidably become acquainted with many 

 birds and animals which are not included in the list 

 of "game," but which, nevertheless, by the beauty 

 of their plumage, or by their graceful movements, 

 contribute greatly to the pleasure of a day's 

 shooting. 



What sportsman does not remember the occasion 

 of his first acquaintance with the Short-eared Owl ? 

 It was early in October, the weather still fine, but 



