34 BRITISH BIRDS' EGGS. 



mice, rats, small birds, and even fish, and, at least the older 

 birds, feed extensively upon different sorts of beetles. 



TENGMALM'S NIGHT OWL. Noctua Tengmalmi. This 

 little species is a rare bird in Britain, and can only be 

 viewed as an occasional visitant. In some parts of the Con- 

 tinent it is pretty common, living in the extensive pine- 

 forests, and breeding in the holes of decayed trees. The 

 nest, if any, is described as being very slight, and the eggs, 

 which are white, are two in number. 



THE NAKED-FOOTED NIGHT OWL. Scotophilus nudipes. 

 This bird, known also as the Little Night Owl, occurs 

 but occasionally in this country, and is reported to build 

 early in the spring, placing its nest where suitable situations 

 present themselves, either in buildings or trees. The eggs 

 are white, and from two to five in number. 



THE LONG-EARED OWL. Otus vulgaris. The present 

 species is pretty generally distributed over Britain where 

 abundance of wood occurs. It breeds on trees, perhaps 

 generally making use of the deserted nests of other birds, 

 which it appears to alter or repair to suit its purpose. Three 

 or four glossy-white eggs are laid as early as the middle of 

 March, 



THE SHORT-EARED OWL. Otus brachyotos. In Britain, 



