136 STRIGID^E. 



warmth of the young birds ; a third laying took place after 

 the latter were hatched, and the nest at last contained six 

 young Owls of three different ages, which were all reared." 

 I have frequently been told by boys in the country that 

 they had found eggs and young birds at the same time in 

 the nest of the Barn Owl. The young, covered with a 

 thick white down, remain in the nest a long time, and the 

 first set of feathers, which, Mr. Blyth says, are not moulted 

 till the second autumn, grow very slowly. 



The Barn Owl screeches, but does not generally hoot. 

 The Barn Owl is common in most, if not in all the coun- 

 ties of England ; and, according to Mr. Thompson, it is 

 also the most common Owl in Ireland. In Scotland it is 

 less numerous, and this species appears to decrease in num- 

 bers as we proceed northward. A few are found in some 

 of the Orkney Islands ; Muller includes it among the birds 

 of Denmark ; but it does not appear to inhabit Sweden or 

 Norway. Over the more temperate part of the European 

 continent it is generally diffused, and its range southward 

 extends in Africa even to the Cape of Good Hope. Sir 

 William Jardine has received specimens from Madeira. 

 According to M. Temminck and others, this bird also in- 

 habits India and Japan. In North America our Barn Owl 

 is found in the United States ; but it is more thinly dif- 

 fused, and it does not appear to visit the fur-countries of 

 the North. The Yellow Owl of South America is con- 

 sidered to be a distinct species. 



In an old male the beak is almost white ; irides bluish 

 black; facial disk stained with rust colour at the inner and 

 lower part of each eye, the margin of the disk defined by 

 the white feathers being tipped with brown ; top of the 

 head and the neck very pale buff, thinly spotted with black 

 and white ; back and wings darker buff speckled with grey, 



