74 THE PESTS OF THE FARM. 



and white dots ; bill, yellow, tinged with green ; breast, barred 

 transversely with rows of brown and white ; belly, streaked longi- 

 tudinally with long stripes of brown, on a yellowish ground ; vent, 

 plain yellowish white ; thighs and feathered legs, the same, 

 slightly pointed with brown ; toes, nearly covered with plumage *, 

 claws, dark horn color, very sharp ; tail, rounded, and remarkably 

 concave below, barred with six broad bars of brown, and as many 

 narrow ones of white ; the back and shoulders have a cast of chest- 

 nut ; at each internal angle of the eye, is a broad spot of black ; 

 the plumage of the radiated circle round the eye ends in long black 

 hairs ; and the bill is encompassed by others of a longer and more 

 bristly kind. These probably serve to guard the eye when any 

 danger approaches it in sweeping hastily through the woods ; and 

 those usually found on flycatchers may have the same intention to 

 fulfill ; for, on the slightest touch of the point of any of these hairs, 

 the nicitant membrane was instantly thrown over the eye. 



The female is twenty-two inches long, and four feet in extent ; 

 the chief ^difference of color consists in her wings being broadly 

 spotted with white ; the shoulder being a plain chocolate brown ; 

 the tail extends considerably beyond the tips of the wings ; the bill 

 is much larger, and of a more golden yellow ; iris of the eye, the 

 same as that of the male. 



LITTLE OWL. This is one of the least of its whole genus ; but, 

 like many other little folks, makes up, in neatness of general form 

 and appearance, for deficiency of size, and is, perhaps, the most 

 shapely of all our owls. Nor are the colors and markings of its 

 plumage inferior in simplicity and effect to most others. It also 

 possesses an eye fully equal in spirit and brilliancy to the best of 

 them. 



This species is a general and constant inhabitant of the middle 

 and northern states ; but is found most numerous in the neighbor- 

 hood of the sea-shore, and among woods and swamps of pine trees. 

 It rarely rambles much during day ; but, if disturbed, flies a short 

 way, and again takes shelter from the light ; at the approach of 

 twilight it is all life and activity, being a noted and dextrous 

 mouse-catcher. 



The little owl is seven inches and a half long, and eighteen in- 

 ches in extent ; the upper parts are a plain brown olive, the scapu- 

 lars and some of the greater and lesser coverts being spotted with 

 white ; the first five primaries are crossed obliquely with five bars 

 of white ; tail Tounded, rather darker than the body, crossed with 



