SHORT -EARED OWL. 139 



said to have been brought from the Sandwich Isles, and 

 Mr. Gould has seen examples from Brazil, and the Straits 

 of Magellan. 



The head of this species is small compared with that of 

 Owls generally ; the tufts about three-quarters of an inch 

 long, formed of three or four feathers, which can be elevated 

 or depressed at pleasure ; the beak is black ; the irides 

 golden yellow ; the feathers radiating from around each 

 eye, forming the facial disk, are dark, almost black at the 

 base, but becoming lighter in colour and mixed with brown 

 towards the end, those pointing in the direction of the 

 beak hiding the cere ; the facial disk surrounded by a 

 whitish line or border ; top of the head, neck, back, and 

 wings, patched with very dark brown : the feathers edged 

 with fawn colour ; wing-coverts with a few roundish spots 

 of yellowish white ; wing-primaries pale reddish brown, 

 barred with dark brown, and ending with speckled ash- 

 grey ; upper surface of tail-feathers buff colour, with five 

 transverse bars of very dark brown ; the chin white ; all 

 the under surface of the body pale buif, with longitudinal 

 patches of blackish brown on the neck and breast, and 

 streaked with the same colour on the belly and flanks; 

 thighs, legs, and upper surface of the toes covered with 

 short, uniform, hair -like, pale buff-coloured feathers ; under 

 surface of the toes naked ; claws almost black, curved and 

 sharp. 



The whole length from fourteen to fifteen inches. Wings, 

 when closed, reaching beyond the end of the tail. The 

 females are larger than the males ; but the differences in 

 the plumage of the sexes are not very obvious. 



