216 WOODLAND CREATURES 



Nests in such situations should not be confused 

 with those of the Short-Eared Owl, a distinct 

 species, that always lays its eggs in such a spot. 

 As the latter is more or less a moorland bird, it 

 will not be further alluded to here, except to 

 say that the greater length of the ear tufts in 

 the Long-Eared at once serve to distinguish 

 them. In the Short-Eared they are quite short, 

 as the name indicates. 



The Long-Eared Owl, though not really a 

 migratory species, any more than the Tawny, 

 will at times shift its hunting grounds. For 

 instance, if there is an especial abundance of mice 

 in any particular locality Long-Eared Owls are 

 sure to turn up in numbers, and this has been 

 several times noted as a feature of the " vole 

 plagues " that have now and again occurred in 

 different parts of the country. As the plague 

 decreases the owls vanish, no doubt returning to 

 their homes. 



The Long-Eared Owl does not begin nesting 

 quite so early in the season as the Brown Owl, 

 which latter is one of the first of the woodland 

 birds to lay and to sit. In March, when the 

 dipper is just giving the finishing touches to her 

 mossy nest by the waterfall in the stream, the 

 Brown Owl begins incubation. In her unlined, 

 untouched hole, with nothing but the wood chips 

 for it to rest upon, she lays her first egg, and 

 immediately begins to sit. The Long-Eared also 

 begins incubation with her first egg, so that it 

 has a considerable advantage over the next egg 



