SHORT -EARED OWL TAWNY OWL. 65 



Legs covered with fawn-coloured feathers. Length 15 in. 

 Female, larger and darker. Young, at first covered with 

 yellowish grey down, faintly barred with brown. 



Language. Eather a silent bird, but it gives a mellow kind 

 of hoot ; also another utterance like the mewing of a cat. 



Habits. Flight buoyant and noiseless ; when alarmed the 

 tufts are erected. It closely resembles the last, but more 

 arboreal. 



Food. Small birds and mammals, moths and beetles. 



Nest. February or March. One brood. 



Site. Never in holes. Usually it selects an old Crow's or 

 Magpie's nest or squirrel's drey, patches it up, and lines it with 

 feathers and down. 



Eggs. Four to six. White, smooth, and nearly spherical in 

 shape. 



SHOET-EAEED OWL (Asio accipitrinus). 



Eesident only in the northern counties, but generally dis- 

 persed over the country in autumn and winter. Essentially 

 a ground Owl, inhabiting moors and marshes and open 

 country. 



Plumage. Tufts on head much shorter than in preceding 

 species. Upper parts dark buff, broadly streaked and blotched 

 with dark brown. Facial disk buff, streaked with dark brown. 

 Wings barred with brown ; under parts dull yellow, streaked 

 with dark brown. Bill black. Legs covered with buff feathers. 

 Length 15 in. Female, larger and darker. Young, much 

 darker above and more tawny below. 



Language. A variety of noises ; one like the barking of a 

 dog, another a kind of hiss, and another a sharp clicking 

 sound. 



Habits. Much resembling the other Owls but less nocturnal, 

 frequenting more open country and living on the ground. 



Food. Small mammals and birds ; also bats, fish, insects, 

 and reptiles. 



Nest. Usually in May. Sometimes later. 



Site. On the ground, under a small bush or amongst 

 growing herbage. 



Materials. A little dry grass roughly arranged round the 

 eggs. 



Eggs. Four to seven or more. White and smooth. 



TAWNY OR BEOWN OWL (Syrniumaluco). 



Eesident. Pretty common in all well-wooded localities ; 

 unknown in Ireland. 

 Haunts. The densest parts of woods (hence Wood Owl). 



