Birds of Prey and Owls 



479 



one of the most charming of the many delightful 

 sounds that break the stillness of the summer nights. 

 It is interesting to note that this species is unknown 

 as a wild bird in Ireland. 



Other and fairly common species in England are 

 the LONG- and SHORT-EARED OWLS, both remarkable 

 for the fact that the aperture of the ear, which is 

 of enormous size, is of a different shape on the right 

 and left sides of the head. These owls, furthermore, 

 are characterised by the possession of a pair of feathery 

 tufts, or " horns," springing from the top of the 

 head, which can be erected or depressed at pleasure. 

 These horns are found in many species of owl not 

 necessarily closely related. The species under con- 

 sideration are of medium size, with large eyes of 

 a most wonderful golden-yellow colour, standing in 

 strong contrast with those of the tawny owl, which 

 are nearly black. Like the tawny owl, these two 

 species, and especially the short-eared, live largely on 

 rats and mice. The last-named bird also devours 

 great numbers of dor-beetles and cockchafers. 



Amongst the largest of the tribe are the 

 EAGLE- and SNOWY OWLS, both of which are 



occasion- 



Photo by Dr. R. IF. Slmfeldt} [ Washington. 



AMERICAN LONG-EARED OWL. 

 ,This is a young bird which has not yet completely lost 

 down -f eath ers. 



its 



, 



Photo by W. P. Dando, F.Z.S.] [Kcgent 



TAWNY OWL. 

 One of the commonest British owls. 



ally met 



with in Great Britain. The eagle-owl may be de- 

 scribed as a largely magnified long-eared owl in 

 general appearance, though, as a matter of fact, the 

 two are not very closely related. The snowy owl, as 

 its name implies, is white in colour, the white being 

 relieved by more or less conspicuous black mark- 

 ings. This white livery, assimilating with its snowy 

 surroundings, allows the wearer to approach its prey 

 unperceived on the snow. Whilst the snowy owl is con- 

 fined to northern regions, the eagle-owl enjoys a wide 

 distribution, and is represented by numerous species, 

 one of which, as we have remarked, occasionally 

 visits Great Britain. The larger species of eagle-owl 

 are the most ferocious members of the order, and 

 prey largely upon hares, rabbits, and the large game- 

 birds ; whilst the snowy owl, though selecting similar 

 prey, does incalculable good by devouring those de- 

 structive little rodents known as the lemmings. 



Solitary as owls usually are, some, as the 

 AMERICAN BURROWING-OWLS, live in what may be 

 called colonies ; and, stranger still, they live in 

 burrows, which they share with the original excavators. 

 Occurring both in North and South America, it is not 

 surprising to find that the creatures with whom the 

 burrowing-owls elect to take up their abode are very 

 varied, belonging for the most part to numerous groups 

 of burrowing mammalia. In the prairies of North 



