9 ALLEN'S NATURALIST'S LIBRARY. 



Range outside the British Islands. An inhabitant of the northern 

 portion of North America, extending its winter range to the 

 northern border of the United States. 



Habits. Very similar to those of the European species, and 

 the bird is distinguished by the same fierceness with which it 

 will attack anyone who ventures near its nest. According to 

 Mr. L. M. Turner's observations in Alaska, the Hawk-Owls 

 fly equally well by night or by day. 



Nest. None ; the bird generally selecting a hole in a tree, 

 as with the European species. Mr. Dall relates that in the 

 Lower Yukon River he found the bird breeding in the top of 

 an old birch-stub about fifteen feet from the ground, the eggs 

 being deposited on the bare wood, and being incubated by the 

 male bird. 



Eggs. Similar in size and appearance to those of the Euro- 

 pean Hawk-Owl. 



THE LITTLE OWLS. GENUS CARINE. 



Carine> Kaup, Nat. Syst. Vog. Eur. p. 29 (1829). 



Type, C. noctna (L.). 



The Little Owls form a small group of about six species, 

 which are found in Central and Southern Europe, North-east 

 Africa, and through Central Asia to Northern China, as well 

 as throughout the Indian Peninsula and the Burmese countries. 

 In no case does the size of these small Owls exceed 8 inches 

 and they have, moreover, a curious swollen pea-shaped nostril, 

 in which the nasal opening is pierced. The wing is rounded, 

 the first primary not falling very far short of the tip of the 

 second. The fifth primary has an indentation on the inner 

 web, which is escalloped like the first four quills. The toes 

 are thickly feathered at the base, and the hind part of the 

 tarsus is always concealed by plumes. These Little Owls of 

 the genus Carine must not be confounded with the Pigmy 

 Owlets ( Glaucidiuni), of which no example has yet been found 

 in Great Britain, though there is a species found in Europe, 

 viz., Glaucidium passerinum. The Pigmy Owlets occur in 

 nearly every part of the World, with the exception of Australia 

 and the Austro-Malayan Islands. 





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