THE OWL. 107 



search over open ground for his victims, as he is not migra- 

 tory ; and his legs are also long, presumably for conve- 

 nience in a sudden grapple, since he is not a quick or elegant 

 pedestrian, his long talons being to grip with, not to walk 

 on. There is one point about the Barn-owl's structure, 

 however, that badly needs explanation, and that is the 

 small-tooth-comb which he carries on the inner side of his 

 middle claw. It is true that all birds use this particular 

 claw for scratching their heads with, and that some other 

 species besides this Owl have a similar arrangement ; but 

 nature has distributed the favour with a niggard and par- 

 tial hand, and in a manner that at present defies conjecture. 

 But his structural peculiarities are not the only points 

 about the Barn-owl ; he teems with interest. For one 

 thing, he is one of the most cosmopolitan of birds, being 

 found practically everywhere except in the high north and 

 in New Zealand ; he varies in colour and size to an extent 

 which has given naturalists a great deal of trouble, for 

 several beautiful species could be made out of him if his 

 progeny would stick to one type. But this they will not 

 do ; once in Calcutta T had two fine young birds of the 

 same age, and presumably the same brood, of which one 

 had a white face and breast, while the other's breast was 

 buff, and its face smoky grey. Both were spotted 

 with black below, which is usual with the Barn-owl here> 

 whereas in England the bird's waistcoat is plain. The 

 English Barn-owl also tends to sport a white tail, the 

 Indian bird's being buff with dark bars. But then 

 the same bird in Jamaica comes out with the 

 points of the English form, thus upsetting a beautiful 



