OWLS. 273 



feathers 1^ in. shorter than the rest, and 3 in. longer 

 than the closed wings ; the body, however, is small, the 

 weight of the whole bird not exceeding 4 lb. ; the circle 

 round the eye ash grey, with dark cross bands ; whole 

 upper plumage speckled with dark and yellowish brown, 

 under whitish, with brown longitudinal streaks ; tail 

 long, pointed, grey-brown, with grey cross bands and 

 dark tip ; iris brilliant yellow. 



The home of this rare and most beautiful of all the 

 northern owls is the very north of Scandinavia, from whence 

 it rarely wanders, although I once obtained a very fine spe- 

 cimen killed in the winter in South Wermland. 



The Lap owl is a true forest owl, and is never seen higher 

 up on the fells than the limits of the forests ; nest generally 

 in a high fir or pine. I do not know whether it is built by 

 the bird itself, most probably not. I never saw the egg, 

 save one which Mr. A. Newton kindly gave me. This egg 

 was rounder and more elongated than that of the eagle owl. 

 It was taken at Muncovara, and the nest contained seven eggs. 



30. S. LITUEATA, Gm. Slag Uggla. D. F. 



Length 1ft. 11 in. English; breadth of wings 3 ft. 

 9 in. ; length of tail 12 in., extending beyond the closed 

 wings 5 in. First wing feather a little shorter than 

 tenth ; second like seventh ; third rather shorter than 

 sixth ; fifth longest ; colour rather resembling that of 

 the brown owl, but much more uniformly grey without 

 any tawny tinge. The long pointed tail will always 

 distinguish this owl from any other. 



Is certainly the rarest of all the Scandinavian owls, and 

 never appears to go so far north as the last. It is never, 

 however, met with in the south of the country. In April, 

 1864,1 shot a remarkably fine female in South Wermland, and 

 I do not think one was ever shot so far south before. I do not 

 believe it is met with in Lapland. Is included in the Danish 

 fauna, but I think on very doubtful authority. My descrip- 

 tion is from a fresh killed specimen, a thing which very few 

 naturalists have had the opportunity of observing. Eye 



18 



