ii2 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES. 



in the forests, where its far-sounding hoo-hoo-hoo- 

 at sunset unfailingly proclaims its presence. Here 

 in the forest glades during the bright moonlight 

 nights we may watch it flying to and fro between 

 its nest and the mice-infested fields. By station- 

 ing ourselves near the hollow tree which contains 

 the nest, we may watch the parent birds feeding 

 their young during all the short hours of a 

 summer's night ; and the noisy cries of the 

 clamouring young sound distinctly after each 

 bird's return with prey. It is rarely that the 

 Tawny Owl comes abroad in daylight, for then 

 it sleeps in its old haunt usually its nesting-place 

 in the hollow trees or rocks, amongst masses of 

 ivy, or in the dense crowns of the fir-trees. The 

 large size (length nineteen inches), absence of ear- 

 tufts, mottled brown, black, and chestnut upper 

 parts, white spotted wing - coverts, and buffish 

 underparts indistinctly streaked and more boldly 

 barred with brown, render this Owl's identification 

 easv - Our other woodland Owl is the LONG- 

 EARED OWL (S. otus), a resident in the pine woods 

 by preference, and a bird that is certainly extend- 

 ing its range in our islands, especially in the 

 northern districts, as spruce and fir woods are 

 planted. Its habits much resemble those of the 

 preceding species. It lives on mice especially, 

 and is a very early breeder. Both these Owls 

 make the slightest of nests, the Tawny Owl gene- 

 rally breeding in a hole in a tree or crevice in a 

 woodland rock ; the Long-eared Owl often annex- 

 ing a deserted nest of the Crow or Magpie or Hawk. 

 Both lay white eggs, those of the former species 

 usually being three or four, those of the latter 

 five or six in number. Many Long-eared Owls 



