THE HORNED OWLS. 



95 



Young. Coloured like the adults, but the markings not so 

 pronounced. The nestling is covered with grey down, with a 

 good deal of orange-buff. 



The slender body, with the long ear-tufts, the black streaks 

 on the breast-feathers, and the blackish cross-markings on the 

 plumage, distinguish the Long-eared Owl from all the other 

 British species. Its smaller size prevents its being mistaken for 

 the Great Eagle-Owl. 



Range in Great Britain. Wherever pine-woods or fir-plantations 

 occur throughout the British Islands, the Long-eared Owl is to 

 be found, and there is scarcely a county in which it is not a 

 resident, while in Ireland, Mr. Ussher states that it is common 

 in most counties, and breeds in every one of them. It nests 

 in the Hebrides in favourable localities, but is only a visitor to 

 the Orkneys and Shetland Islands. A considerable increase in 

 the number of the species takes place in the autumn, when a 

 good many migrate into our islands. 



Range outside the British Islands. In its favourite haunts, the 

 present species is distributed over the greater part of Europe, 

 and extends throughout Southern Siberia to the Japanese 

 Islands, occurring also in the Himalayas, where it appears to 

 breed, and it winters in wooded districts in the plains of India. 

 In Scandinavia and Northern Russia it ranges as high as 63 

 N. lat. and to 59 in the Ural Mountains. The birds which breed 

 in many parts of Europe are only found to do so in the moun- 

 tain forests, and in winter they descend to the lower ground. 

 The species is also found in the Azores, Madeira, and the 

 Canaries, and also inhabits Northern Africa. In North America 

 the Long-eared Owl is replaced by a darker race, Asio ameri- 

 canus. 



Habits. This Owl is a strictly nocturnal species and is seldom 

 found in the day-time, though, if disturbed and frightened, it 

 will fly out into the daylight, which does not seem to incon- 

 venience it much. As evening closes in, however, it becomes 

 more active, and commences to hunt in the twilight. It seems 

 never to make a nest for itself, but will appropriate the old 

 nest of any other bird which appears suitable. Thus the nests 

 of Crows, Magpies, Sparrow-Hawks, or Wood-Pigeons may 

 be used, and these are merely slightly flattened, and a little 



