144 SCOPS-EAEED OWL. 



In Ireland, two specimens have been obtained, one in the 

 month of July, at Loughcrew, in the county of Meath, the 

 seat of J. W. Lennox Naper, Esq.; and another in April, 

 1847, near Kilmore, in the county of Wexford. 



This species inhabits gardens and plantations even in the 

 neighbourhood of towns. 



During the day-time they lie 'perdu' in the holes of trees, 

 or leafy recesses, from whence they emerge in the evening to 

 seek their prey. If taken young from the nest they are 

 easily tamed. 



Their flight, according to Meyer, is soft and wavering, but 

 tolerably quick. 



Their food consists of mice, frogs, small birds, grasshoppers, 

 cock chaffers, moths, and other insects, and worms: with the 

 latter kinds the young birds are fed. 



The note, which is very loud, and resembles the words 'kew, 

 kew,' is said to be uttered 'as regular as the ticking of a 

 pendulum,' at intervals of about half a minute. 



The nest is generally placed in the hole of a tree or a 

 rock, as also in heather. Selby says that it constructs no 

 nest. 



The eggs are white, and from two to four or five, or, ac- 

 cording to Selby, as many as six in number. 



These birds vary much in colour, from dark brown of 

 various shades to grey. Male; length, about seven inches and 

 a half; bill, dusky, black at the tip; iris, yellow; the tufts 

 on the head are short and indistinct; the feathers, which 

 are six or eight, to twelve in number, are dark in the centre; 

 the ruff, which is also inconspicuous, is yellowish white at 

 the base, and tipped with black; the face, grey, delicately 

 pencilled with brown. Crown, streaked with dark brown on 

 a pale brown ground, forming a central band between the 

 tufts; breast, dull yellow and grey, mottled with brown in 

 the most beautiful manner; some of the feathers with square- 

 shaped dusky spots, and waved with narrow lines of the 

 same. Back, rufous brown and grey; the former the pre- 

 dominating colour; the whole streaked, barred, and mottled 

 with black. 



The wings extend a little beyond the end of the tail, and 

 expand to the width of about one foot eight or nine inches; 

 greater and lesser wing coverts, as the back, with a conspicuous 

 mark of yellowish white, the feathers edged and tipped with 

 dark brown; primaries, barred with yellowish, or greyish, or 



